European Union News - Social Affairs

The European Commission has approved two applications from Belgium for assistance under the European Globalisation adjustment Fund (EGF) – the first to benefit under revised EGF rules.

The Europe Direct Centre of Luis Vives Foundation will organize in Madrid between 21 and 25 September the week "Connect to Social Europe", with a range of activities that reveal how to act and how to take part in the decision proccess of the European Union.

The President of the European Commission has sent the President of the European Parliament a document which specifies the objectives that he believes should guide the partnerships between the Commission and Parliament during the next 5 years. It says that "Europe is facing stark choices in today's interdependent world. Either we work together to rise to the challenges. Or we condemn ourselves to irrelevance. I will redouble my efforts to make an ambitious Europe happen. A Europe that puts people at the heart of the policy agenda and projects European values and interests in the world. A Europe that nurtures new sources of growth and drives forward smart regulation of sound markets that work for people. A Europe of freedom and solidarity."

Swedish government ministers have outlined their Council Presidency priorities to the committees on constitutional affairs, climate change, international trade and gender equality. Further presentations will be made to other committees this week, now that MEPs have returned from their holidays.

The European Commission is who is organizing the third edition of this competition aimed at secondary schools. Candidates for the prize, the Juvenes Translatores, can test their skills by translating a text into a language of their choice, in order to obtain a prize. The registration period is open until 20th October.
 

The Annual Performance Monitoring Report about the achievements made within Progress Programme in the year 2008 has been delivered by the Commission's Employment DG. This Report analyses the different aspects of the programme, highlights its achievements to date and outlines the steps that still need to be taken.

The EU's Employment Committee (EMCO) endorsed on June 24th 2009 a report showing how flexicurity policies can be monitored. The report acknowledges that assessment of flexicurity is complex and a holistic approach is essential showing the combination and the interaction between the four dimensions: contractual arrangements, life long learning, active labour market policies and modern social security systems.

The closing date for the pan-European photography competition organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is fast approaching. Based on safe and healthy workplaces, final entries can still be submitted up until 15th August 2009. The competition has so far attracted significant interest from citizens across the European Union with over 500 entries to date.

The Commission has published a communication to set the criteria for the analysis of the compatibility of State aid
for the employment of disadvantaged and disabled workers subject to individual notification.The aim is that companies of the member states increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is supporting, for the first time, the Healthy Workplaces Film Award for the best documentary on work-related topics. The award is endowed with € 8,000 and is presented at the 52nd International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (DOK Leipzig).

Eurofound has issued a report which looks at working time agreements set by collective bargaining. It has found that the average paid annual leave entitlement for workers in Europe was 25.2 days across the EU in 2008; however, some countries had up to three weeks’ more holidays than others.

The Member States have adopted a modernised and simplified version of the EU rules on coordination of social security systems, unther the Swedish Presidency. The decision of the Council was unanimous and without debate.