Europe

Pensions vs earnings across Europe: The highest and lowest comparisons

Submitted by pmassetti on
Euronews (13.02.2025) In many European countries, pension income is significantly lower than pre-retirement earnings from work. This makes it difficult for many older people to maintain their standard of living after retirement. Nearly one in six pensioners are at the risk-of-poverty in the EU, with the rate increasing from 12% in 2013 to 15.5% in 2023. So, how do pensions compare to pre-retirement work income across Europe?
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Pensions
Document Type

Strengthening mental health in the WHO European Region in 2024: a year in review

Submitted by pmassetti on
who.int (04.02.2027) The year 2024 saw the Mental Health Flagship, under the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, make inroads in more sustainable and accessible mental health systems through four key areas: policy, services, data collection and stigma reduction. It marked the third year of the pan-European Mental Health Coalition and second year of the Addressing mental health challenges in the European Union (‎EU)‎, Iceland and Norway project, funded by the European Union.
Regions / Country
Europe
Global challenges
Topics
Health
Document Type

Prepare now: Europe must get ready for the coming long-term care surge

Submitted by pmassetti on
bruegel.org (23.01.2025) Demographic change and ageing populations in European Union countries will impact many aspects of the economy and have a direct effect on long-term care (LTC) systems. Demand for LTC already exceeds supply in many EU countries, leading to the ‘care gap’. This gap is expected to widen, threatening quality of life for the elderly, exacerbating gender disparities and imposing significant economic costs. The root causes of the gap include demographic shifts, inadequate public investment, workforce shortages and a heavy reliance on informal caregiving.
Regions / Country
Europe
Global challenges
Topics
Long-term care
Document Type

Special Issue: Exploring unemployment insurance for the self-employed and platform workers - European Journal of Social Security

Submitted by pmassetti on
Special Issue: Exploring unemployment insurance for the self-employed and platform workers - European Journal of Social Security - Volume 26, Number 2, Jun 01, 2024
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Platform workers
Document Type

Platform workers: Council adopts new rules to improve their working conditions

Submitted by pmassetti on
consilium.europa.eu (14.10.2024) The Council has adopted new rules that aim to improve working conditions for the more than 28 million people working in digital labour platforms across the EU. The platform work directive will make the use of algorithms in human resources management more transparent, ensuring that automated systems are monitored by qualified staff and that workers have the right to contest automated decisions. It will also help correctly determine the employment status of persons working for platforms, enabling them to benefit from any labour rights they are entitled to.
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Platform workers
Document Type

Minimum Income and Social Inclusion Pathways – A review of selected European Union programs

Submitted by pmassetti on
worldbank.org (30.07.2024) Across European Union (EU) countries, the institutional design of Minimum Income (MI) programs varies widely in terms of the benefits and services provided to recipients, despite significant convergence toward a similar MI model and shared common approaches.
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Social assistance
Document Type

EU takes Germany and Italy to court over migrant worker ‘discrimination’

Submitted by pmassetti on
politico.eu (25.07.2024) The European Commission said Thursday it is taking legal action against Germany and Italy, accusing both countries of discriminating against EU migrants regarding social security. In 2018 and 2022, respectively, the German state of Bavaria and Italy passed laws reducing the amount of family benefits paid to mobile workers — a term referring to EU nationals working in a country where they are not citizens. As a result, the Commission referred Italy and Germany to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), calling the schemes “discrimination.”
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Migration
Document Type

EU: Pension adequacy report underlines importance of resilient European pension systems in the face of global challenges

Submitted by pmassetti on
European Commission (20.06.2024) The report highlights that European pension systems have protected retired Europeans’ living standards in the face of global challenges. Resilient public pensions, indexation, and redistribution mechanisms have maintained pension adequacy during crises. However, pensions are predicted to decrease, calling for reinforced policies to promote longer careers, healthy ageing policies, inclusive labour markets, and greater flexibility in retirement pathways.
Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Pensions
Document Type

EU: Study on poverty and income inequality in the context of the digital transformation

Submitted by pmassetti on

ceps.eu (13.05.2024) As European labour markets become increasingly digitalised, concerns about inequality and poverty are increasing. This study, completed for the European Commission, seeks to investigate these concerns further. Part A focuses on how prepared EU Member States are to manage the digital transformation in a socially fair manner. It develops 27 country fiches assessing the current and future prospects of each EU Member State.

Regions / Country
Europe
Global challenges
Topics
Information and communication technology
Digital inclusion
Service quality
Document Type

Europe is giving more parental leave to its workers

Submitted by pmassetti on

economist.com (21.03.2024) Most European countries have been making parental leave more generous since the 1980s. The eu sets a statutory minimum of 14 weeks leave for mothers and, since 2022, two weeks for fathers. But many member states offer leave that is much longer: the average across the eu is 21 weeks for women and three weeks for men, but lengths vary wildly. Paternity leave has been changing the most. Nordic countries were the first to introduce it by statute. Sweden had in 1974 introduced shared paid leave that could be taken by either parent; it now amounts to 69 weeks.

Regions / Country
Europe
Topics
Family benefits
Document Type