Georg Fischer European Commission The European Social Policy debate

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Georg Fischer European CommissionThe
European Social Policy debate
EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment and Social
Affairs
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Drivers of Change in EUROPE 1

• 1. Globalisation and Migration
• 2. Enlargement and Integration
• 3. Society individualisation
• 4. Ageing higher dependency ratios

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Shares of world trade in Goods (exlc. intra EU-25
trade)
Drivers 3
Source WTO statistical database and IMF (DOTS).
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Foreign Direct Investment relative to Domestic
Production, 1990 and 2002
Drivers 6
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Distribution of the Population per age group
in the EU 25 (1950-2050)
general
1
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EU25 Distribution of the population per age and
household type (B1)
Drivers 2
Source Eurostat Demographic Statistics (2001
Census Round)
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Drivers of Change in EUROPE 2 Consequences

• Less scope more need for social policy?
• Less resources for social policy?
• More or less support in population?
• More or less scope for European action?

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Drivers of Change in EUROPE 3 Policy options
Protection and isolation not an option for
Europe ! Liberalisation and reduction of
standards A solution for Europe ?
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Drivers of Change in EUROPE 4 Policy options

• Promote Adjustment and social justice
• Difficult reforms and policy balance
• Understanding and transparency
• Involve those affected

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Key Policy Issues

• Labour market reform
• Pension reform
• Health care, long-term care
• From Poverty Relief to Social Inclusion

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Key Policy Issues Pension

• System reform
• Strengthen Contribution-Benefit link
• Gender equality in systems
• Credit for periods of care
• Promote employment of older people
• Fighting age discrimination

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Ageing 5
13
Ageing 3
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Old age dependency ratio
Note EU25. Source Eurostat 2005 demographic
projections.
general
7
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Older workers employment (55-64)
general
4
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Key Policy Issues Health care, long-term care

• Reduce health inequalities
• Choice and competition but
• Strengthen care coordination
• within and across care systems
• Long-term care systems
• Prevention and autonomy

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Key Policy Issues Social Inclusion

• Adequate income provision
• Inclusive labour markets
• Access to education and training
• - to public services and housing
• Address multiple disadvantages
• A policy for ethnic minorities
• Address intergenerational poverty

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Effects of taxes and transfers in reducing
relative income poverty among the working-age
population
Source Calculations from OECD questionnaire on
distribution of household incomes.
poverty 5
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Relative poverty among the working-age population
and social spending, 2000
Note Social spending is defined as public social
spending excluding health, old-age and survivor
benefits, as a share of GDP. Poverty rates are
measured with respect to a threshold set at half
of the median equivalised household disposable
income. Exact years are those specified in the
note to Table 1. Source OECD Social Expenditure
database and data from the OECD income
distribution questionnaire.
poverty 6
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Poverty 3
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Long term unemployment
general
3
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Key Policy IssuesInvolve Civil Society

• Essential for successful
• Policy development and
• Implementation
• Community base of policy
• Dialogue not allocation of tasks

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Three policy lines

• Participation in employment/society
• Activation work and autonomy
• Preventive rather than curative action
• .Education and Training are crucial

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European Social Policies 1

• Common Objective on high levels of social
  protection and employment
• Treaty of Rome 1957
• Equal Pay for women and men
• Free Movement of workers

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European Social Policies 1b

• Economic Integration leads to deepening labour
  and social policy
• Health and safety in the work place
• incl. working time
• European works councils
• European social dialogue
• Antidiscrimination beyond labour market

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European Social Policies 2

• Policy Coordination
• Common objectives
• Policy review and Peer Pressure
• Mutual Learning

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European Social Policies 3

• EU measures
• European Market needs European Standards pension
  and health
• Cross country migrants accumulation of rights
  and portability

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European Social Policies 4Solidarity

• Financial Solidarity
• European Social Fund
• New Globalisation Fund?

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European Social Policies 4 European Social Fund

• Financial Instrument to support employment and
  social cohesion
• 60 Billion EURO for 2000-2006
• Priority in poorer countries but support in all
  countries

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Questions for discussion

• Less scope more need for social policy?
• Less resources for social policy?
• More or less support in population?
• More or less scope for European action?

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Thank you very much for your attention and
please have a look at our website

• http//europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/index_
  en.html

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(No Transcript)
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European Social Policies 8 Policy Coordination

• Employment Policy Coordination
• Social Protection/Social Inclusion
• Open Method of Coordination
• Role of Member States and European Union
• 2005 Strategy for Growth and Employment

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European Social Policies 9 Antidiscrimination

• 1999 introduction of a new legal basis to
  tackle discrimination on grounds of racial or
  ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability,
  age and sexual orientation (Article 13 TEC)
• 2000 adoption of two Directives and a Community
  action programme to combat discrimination

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European Social Policies 10 Antidiscrimination

• Ban on racial discrimination covers employment,
  training, education, social protection, access to
  goods and services.
• Specialised bodies to assist victims of racial
  discrimination
• Commission taking legal action against several MS
  for late/incomplete transposition

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EU action to tackle anti-Semitism

• EU financial support for European Network Against
  Racism various projects
• EU Monitoring Centre against Racism and
  Xenophobia (Vienna)
• Proposed EU-wide criminal sanctions for racism
  and xenophobia (Framework Decision, currently
  blocked in Council)

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Health 2
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Health 3
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Health 4
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Employment 1
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Employment 2
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Employment 3
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Employment 4
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Employment 6
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General 1
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General 2
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General 3
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General 4