EU News - Social Affairs

MEPs voted in favour of continuing after 2014 with the EU aid to redundant workers

The Employment and Social Affairs Committee in the European Parliament agreed that the EU aid to redundant workers would continue in 2014-2020, and could also go to additional categories of workers, such as the self-employed (including farmers) and those on temporary contracts. MEPs believe that redundant workers should have equal access to the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund independently of their type of employment contract.

Read more …

€58 million in European grants to support culture, transport and youth employment in Algeria

The European Union and Algeria have signed three financing agreements on the protection of cultural heritage, support for reform in the transport sector and support for youth employment. These three agreements will be translated in grants for worth of a total of €58 million.

Read more …

Many loopholes in domestic work regulation still persist in Europe despite recent progress

An important amount of domestic workers in Europe do not receive the same legal protection as other workers. Although there has been significant legislative progress in this direction, this working activity is quiet often not considered as a real work.

Read more …

The unemployment rate registered a slight increase in September in the euro area

Eurostat informed that compared with August, in the euro area the unemployment rate was slightly higher in September. The EU unemployment rate was 10.6% in September 2012, stable compared with August. The lowest unemployment rates were recorded in Austria, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands, and the highest in Spain (25.8%) and Greece (25.1% in July 2012).

Read more …

The Commission proposed to create a Fund to help the most deprived persons in the EU

The European Commission presented its proposal to set up a new Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived. It will count wiht a budget of €2.5 billion for the Fund during the period 2014-2020. Member States would be responsible for paying 15% of the costs of their national programmes, with the remaining 85% coming from the Fund.

Read more …

Over €150 billion is the estimated economic cost of Europe’s youth not in employment, education or training

Eurofound published a report that reveals how the greatest urgency lies with the 14 million young people currently not in employment, education or training (NEETs). The report shows that the economic loss to society of not integrating NEETs is estimated at €153 billion, in addition to the inestimable costs for their disengagement from society in general.

Read more …

Austerity measures across Europe have a negative impact on the most vulnerable groups in society

Eurofound contributed to a conference celebrated by the Cyprus EU Presidency with research findings from projects that have looked at employment developments in childcare services for school-age children, company initiatives for workers with care responsibilities for disabled children or adults, and parenting support in Europe. Eurofound found that the proportion of people reporting difficulties in accessing childcare services are among the highest on all counts in Greece.

Read more …