Four new Flash Reports prepared by the European Social Policy Network (ESPN) are now available and provide information on Albania’s new procurement legal framework, measures to underpin the rights of and services to LGBTI+ young people in Ireland, the amended Montenegrin Law on Pension and Disability Insurance and the cancellation of school meal subsidies in Slovakia.

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• Albania’s previous procurement legal framework contained a number of provisions hindering non-profit organisations from participating. The new procurement law, adopted on 27 July 2020, ensures that both for-profit and not-for-profit operators can participate in public tenders related to social care services.
• Over the last two years, Ireland has adopted a series of measures to underpin the rights of and services to LGBTI+ young people. These centre upon the LGBTI+ Youth Strategy 2018-2020, which sets out clear goals and a suite of actions to improve their rights and well-being in regard to health, education, criminal justice, equality and other domains. The Strategy and its actions are closely aligned with other strategies for young people as well as with population-wide LGBTI+ strategies. The new government which took up office on 27 June 2020 is committed to taking forward the Strategy, which will require addressing various complexities.
• On 16 July, after two years of negotiations with the social partners, the Montenegrin Government adopted a draft law amending the Law on Pension and Disability Insurance. The Montenegrin Parliament endorsed this law on 30 July. The main changes relate to the pensionable age, the basis for pension calculation and the pension formula.
• School meal subsidies in Slovakia used to be a measure aimed at poor children. In 2019, their coverage was extended to include all children in primary schools. However, in July 2020 the new government announced the cancellation of this measure in favour of increased child tax credits and a return to the pro-poor targeting. Debates on the pros and cons reveal interesting arguments about the role of social policy.