European Union News - Social Affairs

According to a report recently published by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) the protection of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons reveals importante differences between Member states. While in some of them legislation and practice is increasing the protection of LGBT persons, in others their rights are being restricted or neglected.

Seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose to 10.1% in October 2010, increasing by 0.1% compared to the same data in September. In the European Union as a whole the rate remained unchanged compared to the previous month and a value slightly lower than those registered in the Euro area reaching 9.6%.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation focused on gathering the opinion of public and private organisations, companies and individual citizens on the challenges created by the ageing population in Europe, and in particular on a pilot European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on active and healthy ageing. Results of this consultation, which will run until 28 January 2011, will be the base to shape the content of this EIP which is part of Commission's "Innovation Union" strategy.

25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and also the first day of a conference on Violence Against Women organised by the European Commission. The This Conference, which aims to draw attention to this prevalent and often under-recognised form of crime and its severe consequences, followed the Summit of EU Women Ministers on the same topic organised by the Belgian Presidency on 24 November.

Trying to bridge the gap between education, training and employment is one of the fundamental objectives of the agenda for new skills and jobs submitted by the European Commission on 23 November. While some 23 million citizens are unemployed, employers still express certain difficulties in recruiting. For that reason, the Agenda proposes a set of 13 actions to reform labour markets and improve skills and employability of European workers.

The Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting in Brussels on 18 November 2010 agreed on a series of conclusions on the role of sport as a source of and a driver for active social inclusion. In this document the Council acknowledges that the sports movement can make an important contribution to issues of public interest such as social inclusion and stressed that this potential should be used at all EU levels in order to allow all citizens, and specially young people, to benefit from it.

Conclusions of the Joint Report by the Economic Policy Committee and the Social Protection Committee on "Progress and key challenges in the delivery of adequate and sustainable pensions in Europe" were on the agenda at the Ecofin Council held in Brussels on 17 November. Ministers approved a report on the sustainability of retirement pensions in view of ageing populations and following the economic and financial crisis.

During the European Parliament Part Session held in November, the Chamber passed a resolution backing the EU "innovation partnerships" scheme, which aims to bring together EU, national and regional players across policy areas and industries to tackle specific societal challenges. Following this path the first partnership on "Active and Healthy Ageing" should be launched in early 2011.

European Parliament held on 15 November a preliminary debate within the Civil Liberties Committee, about the proposal for Directive on sexual abuse of children and child pornography. MEPs stressed the need to overcome some difficulties about this regulation based on Member States' differing sensitivities and traditions, specially in aspects related to web access blockage.