European Union News - Social Affairs

According to the data released by Eurostat the Euro area seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate amounted to 10.1% in August 2010, remaining stable compared with July, although higher that the 9.7% registered in August 2009. In the whole European Union unemployment rate was 9.6% in August 2010, also unchanged compared with July, and a higher than 9.2% in August 2009.

The European Commission presented on 29 September its conclusions after the assessment on recent developments in France as well as the discussions about the overall situation of the Roma and the enforcement of EU law on free movement of EU citizens. Infringement procedures could be  initiated in the context of October package if full transposition of Free Movement Directive is not notified.

The European Parliament backed on 28 September a proposal for Directive on single work and residence permit, which will introduce a simplified administrative procedure and equal treatment with national workers on pay, working conditions and social security. This new regulations, drafted in 2007, will complement the blue card provisions.

Over the last decade, the Grundtvig Programme has helped European adults to boost their skills and employability by providing financial support for training courses and learning mobility. In these ten years, the programme has invested 370 million Euro in the adult education sector and provided 17,000 grants for organisations involving an estimated 500,000 participants.

The European Commission has adopted on 21 September a five-year strategy for promoting equality between women and men in Europe. With this strategy, based in five top priorities, the Commission aims for a better use of women's potential, contributing to the EU's overall economic and social goals.

The fight against prejudice and hostile attitudes towards the Roma is at the heart of a draft Committee of the Regions (CoR) opinion proposing practical measures to improve the integration of the Roma population. Supporting the Commission's position on this matter, the EU's Assembly of Regional and Local Representatives calls on Member States, regions and local authorities to apply with vigour the fundamental rights enshrined in the European treaties and to combat all forms of discrimination directed against the Roma people.

Increasing young people's employability and access to the labour market is the main objective of 'Youth on the Move', EU's initiative launched on 15 September 2010. 'Youth on the Move' is a new flagship initiative part of the Europe 2020 strategy which proposes 28 key actions aimed at making education and training more relevant to young people's needs and encouraging more of them to take advantage of EU grants to study or train in another country.

European Commissioner responsible for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, Viviane Reding, made a forceful reaction on 14 September over last developments in the situation of Roma people in France. In her statement, Commissioner Reading qualified the situation as "a disgrace" and warned France about the possibility to initiate an infringement action.

The European Union granted 52.3 million Euro from the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) in 2009 to help some 11,000 workers dismissed in eight countries, according to a report adopted by the European Commission. The third annual report on the activities of the EGF shows a six-fold increase in applications from Member States for funding to support workers dismissed as a result of globalisation and the economic crisis.

A call to establish a European Year of Combating Violence against Women, within the next five years, has been backed by a majority of MEPs, who signed up to a written declaration urging the Commission to take action