European Union News - Social Affairs

The European Parliament approved a resolution in which asks for more jobs to people with disabilities. In addition, it calls on EU Member States and the European Commission to recognise sign language as an official language in the Member States.

The Internal Market Committee voted on its input to forthcoming proposal to revise EU rules on cross-border mobility for professionals. MEPs agreed that without compromising the reliability or safety of their services to citizens, the skills of doctors, engineers, dentists and other professionals applying to work in another EU Member State must be recognised faster.

A new Eurobarometer survey on the EU's social climate shows that although EU citizens remain negative when evaluating the general situation of their country, they seem to feel that the economy is recovering and are largely satisfied and positive regarding their personal situation. The trend towards an improved perception in terms of social protection and inclusion in the near future is clear.

A research partially funded by the EU has uncovered new information linking healthy ageing and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.

Committee of the Regions (CoR) President Mercedes Bresso opposed Commission plans to suspend all EU regional development funds for countries that breach European deficit rules. Elisabeth Morin-Chartier, responsible for the cohesion policy report at the European Parliament, expressed her concerns about a possible link between the allocation of funds to social projects and the respect for budget discipline required by the stability and growth pact.

The European Commission adopted a legislative package for cohesion policy for the period from 2014 until 2020 which is designed to boost growth and jobs across Europe by targeting EU investment on Europe's Growth and Jobs Agenda ("Europe 2020"). With this package, Commission lays foundations to boost impact of cohesion investments after 2013.

The debate held by the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council showed a consensus on the need to make full use of the European Social Fund (ESF) in order to reach the EU 2020 objectives and to ensure a proper articulation of the ESF with other Structural Funds. In addition, the Council adopted conclusions on the role of voluntary work in social policy.

The Competitiveness Council meeting held on 30 of September ended with an agreement reached on the launching of 'More Years Better Lives' initiative, a joint research programme. Ministers agreed that Joint Programming in research in the area of demographic change and population ageing as in the proposed initiative 'More Years Better Lives' will contribute to the reduction of fragmentation of research efforts of Member States.

A resolution approved by the European Parliament demands that the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people be upheld fully within the EU and defended systematically in its external relations. Also MEPs called for gender identity disorders to be removed from the World Health Organisation's classification of mental and behavioural disorders.

EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding met with the Europe's business schools to discuss how to improve the gender balance in company boardrooms by encouraging more young women to follow a career in business. On the other hand, business schools are helping women to prepare for professional careers through seminars, training programmes and providing networking opportunities.