European Union News - Social Affairs

In the framework of the European Year for Active Ageing, the European Commission published an article with the data gathered by Eurostat on life expectancy (LE) and Healthy Life Years' (HLY), an important European policy indicator. In particular, the figures in the EU in 2010 showed that Sweden had the longest LE at birth, at 79.6 years for men, and the HLY rate was of 71.7 years.

MEPs voted a resolution in the Employment and Social Affairs Committee in the European Parliament, which proposes a "European Investment Plan", reallocate EU structural funds to projects to create them for young people, and introduce a "European Youth Guarantee".

The social partners representing the professional football sector signed their first agreement setting minimum contract requirements, in order to ensure that player contracts throughout Europe meet certain minimum standard among other things.

MEPs adopted a resolution which asks for new rules to monitor internet censorship by autocratic regimes. In addition, they wants these new rules to strengthen the accountability of EU-based companies that export tools that can be used to block websites and monitor mobile communications. On the annual human rights report for 2010 adopted within the resolution, it is also asked to the EU and its Member States to cooperate more consistently with regard to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

MEPs approved the regulation that has as main aim to reinforce the social protection for cross-border workers, which will reinforce at the same time the functioning of the single market. Among others, airline staff and cross-border self-employed workers will benefit of these new rules.

The European Commission published the annual report on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights which highlights that fundamental rights concerns are increasingly embedded in EU policy-making. The report is part of the Commission's efforts to raise people's awareness of the Charter, when it applies, and the role of EU institutions in the field of fundamental rights.

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the Commission Catherine Ashton and Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs, with Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet, signed a new partnership between the EU and UN Women aimed at enhancing gender equality worldwide.

According to a report from the European Commission, improving equality between women and men is essential to the EU's response to the current economic crisis. The report highlights that one of the way's of improving Europe's competitiveness is to obtain better balance between women and men in economic decision-making positions.