In the latest edition of Real Economy, Euronews examines social protections or the lack thereof. Four out of 10 Europeans in the labour market are now self-employed or engaged in temporary work on a part- or full-time basis. As Europe’s social security systems were geared for a time when most people worked full-time for the same employer for years—not in the ‘gig’ economy—it may be time for social protections to evolve as much as work life has. Across Europe, workers who don't have full-time jobs have to navigate a minefield of questions regarding access to unemployment benefits, healthcare, maternity, old age or accident benefits. Many of these workers are very vulnerable. Addressing the need for stronger social protections, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, Marianne Thyssen, notes that “when there is less inequality and a better risk protection, people invest more in their own lives, they feel more part of society, they work harder and better.” Thyssen adds that social protections need to be improved without killing flexibility, as flexibility creates new jobs.