2017 - ‘Towards a Fairer Gig Economy’ is a small collection of articles examining the social and economic problems associated with the ‘gig economy’. The gig economy includes a wide range of labour carried out by workers providing services as couriers, taxi drivers, online freelancers and more. Issues examined include an over-supply of labour, falling wages, long hours and poor working conditions.

The stakeholders' Working Group on mHealth assessment guidelines, which the Commission established in February 2016, recently concluded its works. A report, including a few case studies on mHealth, is now available.

While no consensus was reached amongst the represented constituencies on a set of guidelines, the Group allowed for valuable exchanges captured in a report summarising the process and the positions from the represented stakeholders.

With these words, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan captured the promise of information and communication technologies (ICT) in his opening address to the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003. Building on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), this compelling vision opened the door to new commitment, new investment and, most of all, to creativity and the drive to push the boundaries of technology far beyond anything ever dreamed.

This report examines how the two global mega-trends of population ageing and rising inequalities have been developing and interacting, both within and across generations. Taking a life-course perspective the report shows how inequalities in education, health, employment and earnings compound, resulting in large differences in lifetime earnings across different groups. It suggests a policy agenda to prevent, mitigate and cope with inequalities along the life course drawing on good practices in OECD countries and emerging economies.

OECD (11.10.2017) The biennial OECD Digital Economy Outlook examines and documents evolutions and emerging opportunities and challenges in the digital economy. It highlights how OECD countries and partner economies are taking advantage of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the Internet to meet their public policy objectives. Through comparative evidence, it informs policy makers of regulatory practices and policy options to help maximise the potential of the digital economy as a driver for innovation and inclusive growth.

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) (nov 2016) In this BRACED working paper we present a synthesis of findings from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda on the role of social protection programmes in contributing to people’s capacity to absorb, anticipate and adapt to climate-related shocks and stresses.

OECD iLibrary (27.03.2017)  This report presents the first international quantification and comparison of levels of social protection for long-term care (LTC) in 14 OECD and EU countries. Focusing on five scenarios with different LTC needs and services, it quantifies the cost of care; the level of coverage provided by social protection systems; the out-of-pocket costs that people are left facing; and whether these costs are affordable.

European Economic and Social Committee (20.09.2017) The EESC believes that equal access to healthcare, one of the main objectives of health policies, can benefit from digital support provided certain conditions are met: equal geographical coverage; bridging the digital divide; interoperability among the various components of the digital architecture (databases, medical devices); and protection of health data which must under no circumstances be used to the detriment of patients.

(BID/IADB, September 2017) Luego de generar una conmoción parecida a la de un elefante entrando en una cristalería, las plataformas colaborativas como Uber o Airbnb han pasado a ser parte de nuestra vida cotidiana. Millones han utilizado ya este tipo de estructuras digitales para facilitar su vida cotidiana: trasladarse, comprar comida o libros, procurar una pareja y hasta tener a alguien para acompañarle a hacer las compras. Sin embargo, en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) el impacto aun es desigual, lo que genera dudas sobre su progreso y regulación apropiadas.

(GOVUP, July 2017) La plataformización del trabajo es un concepto que, si bien es relativamente reciente, ha irrumpido con fuerza en el mercado laboral a nivel global. Si bien es cierto que nuestro marco normativo dista mucho de otras regulaciones, como la estadounidense, con distintos parámetros de contratación y, en definitiva, de relación laboral.