Katalog publikacij

Investing in the green economy will be key to overcoming the employment crisis in the EU and driving economic growth. In order for the Commission’s integrated policy approach to work an environmental focus needs to be prioritised at Member State level as well. This review looks at whether and to what extent national and regional governments have refocused their policy efforts towards green sectors, and the nature of the policy efforts pursued. The European policy context for promoting transition to green growth is examined and the types of national/regional policies and measures identified, before the findings and lessons are summarised. This publication is available in electronic format (pdf and e-book) in English.

The first working paper in the 2013 series reviews social protection expenditure developments in the crisis, focusing on expenditure trends in volumes following the peak of the crisis (2009), on changes in the distribution of incomes and, notably, on the distributional impact of austerity packages. The topics discussed relate to the March 2013 edition of the EU Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review. This Working paper is available in electronic format in English.

The EU is supporting Member States to develop high quality apprenticeship and traineeship programmes to: • make the school-to-work transition easier • equip young people with the right skills and experience for sustainable employment. This publication is available in electronic format in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish.

This paper considers the impact of social entrepreneurship in European communities, finding that working with such enterprises and helping them develop can result in widespread gains for public budgets. Starting and running such a business can pose a number of problems though, as it must not only overcome entrepreneurial challenges, but also those that arise from the social dimension. The report concludes that promoting policies that create a favourable environment for such entrepreneurs, is crucial for them to fulfil their potential. This brochure is available online in English, German and French.

This publication is a part of a series that explains what the EU does in different policy areas, why the EU is involved and what the results are. You can see online which ones are available and download them at: http://europa.eu/pol/index_en.htm.

According to the EU Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review, divergence continues to increase across Member States, translating into persistently growing labour market and social challenges, marked by ever higher unemployment at EU level and a deterioration of the situation of many households, and of young people in particular. Employment has been trending down again since mid-2011, with positive developments only noticeable in part-time work. Unemployment rose further in January 2013, to 26.2 million in the EU, accounting for 10.8 % of the active population, and concerns nearly one in four economically active young people. This edition highlights the effects recent government spending cuts have had on the employment and social situation in a number of Member States, the diversity in terms of labour market matching and recent trends in posting of workers across the EU. This edition also analyses the specific situation in Bulgaria and in the sectors of manufacture of basic metals and motor vehicles. It finally dedicates a Special Supplement to the analysis of recent demographic trends in the European Union. This publication is available in electronic format in English.

According this edition of the EU Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review difficulties on the labour markets remain persistent in a context of economic stagnation. They are marked by ever higher unemployment at EU level (10.7% in November 2012) and rising divergence across Member States, while the number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU now accounts for nearly one-fourth of the EU population.
The share of the EU population reporting their households are experiencing financial distress has risen sharply in recent months, while living standards and the perceived quality of life have declined with the crisis. On the positive side, the unadjusted gender pay gap in the EU declined between 2008 and 2010.

DG Employment builds on the first Employment and Social Developments in Europe (ESDE) Review in this second edition, by conducting an analysis of the economic and social situation in the EU. Following a year which has seen several Member States witnessing escalating debt crises, public spending is decreasing. With different parts of the EU seeing different social and employment trends, finding the right policy responses in certain key areas is crucial. Long-term employment exclusion, its impact on the labour market and the broader social dimension, is considered in this context. The functioning and efficiency of various social protection systems is also examined, with a particular focus on the effect of distributional and design aspects. Finally, the Review looks at the impact of wage developments and the problem of skill mismatches as well, concluding a fair and equitable structural adjustment agenda is needed. This publication will be available in printed format in English. All the graphs and tables included in this report can be downloaded both in gif and excel format by accessing the individual chapters.

As the population in the EU continues to age, counteracting the resulting demographic forces is becoming increasingly important. Helping these people remain economically active has the potential to have important economic and social benefits, not only for the target group, but for society on the whole. The European Commission and OECD have joined forces to produce a brochure, which emphasises the importance of a shift in entrepreneurship policy within this demographic, to encourage it to become more active. In this context, it examines a range of different initiatives and schemes that could be implemented to promote business start-ups by older people.This brochure will be available online in English, German and French.