Library | Economic & Social Change
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Make SDnet your Partner for Trans-national Innovation and Development
07-02-2007 SDnet is seeking: Social Partners and affiliated organisations; Organisations linked to industrial relations, non-profit-making organisations, research centres and institutes, universities; Non-profit-making networks of companies or of workers' organisations; National and regional authorities, including related associations and government services.
- for participation in the Open Calls for proposals published by the European Commission, Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities:View Details -
New Social Dialogue in Central and Eastern Europe
28-02-2005BUDAPEST (ILO Online) -- "The enlargement of the European Union presents a challenge for European industrial relations because of the considerable differences between the industrial relations systems of most of the new Member States compared with those of the majority of EU-15", according to European Commission's report Industrial Relations in Europe 2004, published in January.View Details -
Employment: Commission Reviews Progress Towards More and Better Jobs
28-12-2003The EU is making progress in improving the quality of employment but more needs to be done, according to a new report by the Commission. The report reviews efforts to improve quality at work in line with the 2003 Brussels Spring European Council request, highlights the need for measures to enhance this dimension and points to differences between the performances of Member States.View Details -
Employment Task Force Press Release: Firm Action Needed to Rescue Employment Plans
26-12-2003"The European Union risks failing in its ambitious goal, set at the Lisbon summit in 2000, of becoming by 2010 the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion", says Wim Kok, Chairman of the European Employment Taskforce.View Details -
Commission to Emphasise Key Role of Human Capital in Response to Globalisation
17-12-2003One of the best ways to ensure positive effects of globalisation is to improve employability and focus on human capital. That was the message given to a meeting of Labour and Employment Ministers of G8 countries, who met in Stuttgart 14 to 16 December.View Details -
New Chairperson of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work Announces Agency Plans to Target Safety in Europe's Construction Sector
12-12-2003 Meeting in Bilbao on 25 and 26 November 2003, the Administrative Board of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has elected Ms Christa Schweng as its new chairperson and approved the Agency's work programme for 2004.View Details -
Commission co-chairs Extraordinary Tripartite Social Summit on employment and growth
11-12-2003 Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, will today co-chair with the Italian Presidency a meeting with representatives of employers and workers the 'social partners' - to discuss the Commission's growth initiative and the report of the Employment Task Force, chaired by former Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok.View Details -
Old and New Ways of Solving Social Problems
7-11-2003 While trade unions have played an essential role in social dialogue between workers, employers and governments, their membership in many countries has declined dramatically in recent years.View Details -
Commission Welcomes Council Agreement on Overhauling Social Security Legislation
1-12-2003 The European Commission welcomed the political agreement at today's Employment and Social Affairs Council on a major piece of new legislation co-ordinating social security systems in the EU. View Details -
Social Partners Issue Position on European Union Coordination of Social Protection
19-10-2003 In September 2003, the European Union-level social partners issued a joint position on European Commission proposals for better and more visible coordination of social protection at European Union level.View Details -
Practical Examples of Successful Occupational Safety and Health Assistance to Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises
16-10-2003 Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises are important contributors to European competitiveness, with most new jobs in Europe being created by micro-enterprises with up to six employees. However, they also face particular difficulties including effective management of safety and health and Member States have set up measures to assist entrepreneurship. View Details -
Employment in Europe 2003: The Main Findings of the Commission's Report
13-10-2003 The Employment in Europe report, published annually, presents a panorama of recent developments in European labour markets.View Details -
European Parliament Adopts Report on Adequate and Sustainable Pensions
24-9-2003In an own-initiative report on adequate pensions adopted today by the European Parliament with 453 votes in favour 61 against and 27 abstentions, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) begin by pointing out that the fundamental responsibility for pensions policy and financing remains with the Member States but that this in no way diminishes the value of the European contribution. View Details -
Commission Continues Fight Against Occupational Diseases
24-9-2003The European Commission is calling on Member States to take the necessary measures to prevent a number of illnesses that can be commonly linked to the workplace. Such measures should also enable sufferers to claim compensation.View Details -
Commission urges social partners to protect pension rights of job changers
15-9-2003The European Commission is calling on social partners to play their role in tackling problems faced by workers who lose out on occupational pension rights when moving job, particularly to another Member State. View Details -
In Ireland, Workplace Consultation to be Legal Must
12-8-2003Employers who fail to consult workers on issues affecting them could face stiff penalties, including prison, under legislation to be drawn up shortly.View Details -
Employment and Social Affairs Informal Council, Varese, Italy, 11-12 July 2003
10-7-2003The Informal meeting of EU Ministers for Employment and Social Policy takes place on 11 and 12 July 2003. The Commission will be represented by the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Anna Diamantopoulou. View Details -
Speech on Civil Dialogue and Enlargement by Director General for Employment and Social Affairs Odile Quintin
4-7-2003The role of civil dialogue, particularly in the context of enlargement, was examined by the Director General for Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission, Odile Quintin, in a speech to a conference on Civil Dialogue and Enlargement which took place in Budapest at the end of June. View Details -
New President of UNICE Outlines Five Key Priorities
2-7-2003After a record period of five years, Baron Georges Jacobs today stands down as President of UNICE. He had previously held the position of Vice-President of UNICE for four years, representing almost a decade of active commitment to European business. View Details -
Thessaloniki European Council 19-20 June 2003: Presidency Conclusions On Economic Policy and Employment Guidelines
25-6-2003View Details -
New Publications From The European Trade Union Institute
25-6-2003European industrial relations is the subject of the two latest issues of "Transfer" - the quarterly journal of the European Trade Union Institute. View Details -
"For Diversity - Against Discrimination":
16-6-2003Would you know your rights if you were discriminated against? According to a new Eurobarometer survey on attitudes towards discrimination, only 1 in 3 Europeans would. Raising awareness of rights is one of the key aims of a new 5-year EU-wide campaign to combat discrimination on the grounds of racial and ethnic origin, religion and belief, age, disability and sexual orientation. View Details
Diamantopoulou Acts to Boost Awareness of New EU Anti-discrimination Rules -
Commission adopts Mid-term Review of the Social Policy Agenda
4-6-2003The Commission has just adopted its Mid-term Review of the Social Policy Agenda, the EU's roadmap translating the Lisbon strategy for economic and social renewal into concrete employment and social policy measures over the first half of the decade. View Details -
ESPHCA Council Fails To Reach Agreement on Temporary Work
4-6-2003During the second day of its two-day meeting (2/3 June 2003), the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (ESPHCA) Council failed to reach political agreement on the draft Directive on Temporary Agency Work. View Details -
European Parliament Adopts Employment Guidelines for the Member States
3-6-2003The European Parliament adopted a non-binding resolution on employment guidelines for the Member States which broadly approves the proposal.View Details -
Industrial Relations Developments in Europe in 2002
26-5-2003The European Industrial Relations Observatory and DG Employment and Social Affairs have jointly published a review of industrial relations developments in Europe in 2002. View Details -
Conference on European Social Model Opens in Ioannina
21-5-2003A two-day conference in the context of the Greek European Union Presidency opened on Wednesday 21 May in the northern Greek town of Ioannina on "Modernization of the European Social Model, EU Policies and Tools". View Details -
ILO: Work hazards kill millions, cost billions
9-5-2003Workers, employers and governments are marking the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. In a new report, the ILO says the annual cost to the global economy is a staggering 1.25 thousand billion (trillion) dollars. This report outlines the occupational safety and health crisis and explains how it can be dealt with.View Details -
Second European Meeting of People Experiencing Poverty
9-5-2003Greek Labour and Social Security Minister Dimitris Reppas opened the sessions of the second European meeting of people experiencing poverty on 10 May, 2003. View Details -
Conference on the Mid-term Review of the Social Policy Agenda - 19-20 March 2003 in Brussels
10-4-2003The Commission organised a major conference on the mid-term review of the Social Policy Agenda in Brussels on 19-20 March 2003. View Details -
European Commission proposes '10 commandments' for employment reform
8-4-2003Brussels: The European Commission today agreed proposals for a new, more results-oriented European Employment Strategy to help it contribute more effectively to delivering more jobs, better jobs and an inclusive labour market. View Details -
Anna Diamantopoulou Announces the Members of the European Employment Task Force Under Mr Wim Kok
1-4-2003 Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, today announced the members of the new European Employment Task Force decided at the Brussels summit of 20-21 March.View Details -
Structural Change in the EU Must Be Built on Social Dialogue, not Diktat
14-3-2003Letter to the Financial Times from the General Secretary of ETUC, Emilio GabaglioView Details -
Spring European Council 2003: Decision on Setting Up a European Employment Taskforce
21-3-2003Wim Kok Nominated as PresidentView Details -
Greek Prime Minister Simitis: Spring Summit to Give Message of Confidence in EU Economic Prospects
20-3-2003BRUSSELS -- Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis, European Council President in-office, on Thursday in Brussels told the first Tripartite Social Summit that the current political conjuncture with the war in Iraq was exacerbating the economic situation and warned of further unfavourable implications on oil prices, international trade, tourist activity, consumers and investors confidence.View Details -
Speech by Prime Minister Simitis at the European Trade Union Confederation Conference
11-3-2003 It has been almost half a century since the countries of Europe began to reconstruct the post-war welfare state. In the same period, the target of full employment was given priority status in economic policy.View Details -
ETUC Memorandum to the Greek Council Presidency
5-2-2003 A delegation from the European Trade Union Confederation met with the Greek Prime Minister, Constantinos Simitis, in Athens at the end of last week and presented the Trade Union Memorandum to the Greek Council Presidency. In the Memorandum, the ETUC outlines its policy priorities in areas such as institutional reform, the Lisbon Strategy, and workers' rights and social policy. View Details -
"The Target of Full Employment and the Institutional Reform of the European Labour Markets"
4-3-2003by Anna Diamantopoulou, European Commissioner
for Employment and Social Affair View Details -
Greek Prime Minister Simitis Meets with the Executive Board of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
31-1-2003The President of the European Council and Prime Minister of Greece Costas Simitis received the executive board of the European Trade Union Confederation, led by its President Fritz Verzetnitsch, within the framework of the dialogue with the European Union social partners.View Details -
Meeting between Greek Prime Minister K. Simitis and UNICE Representatives
28-1-2003The meeting on Tuesday, 28 January between the President of the European Council, Prime MinisterK.Simitis and the General Secretary of the Union of Industrialists and Employers' Confederation of Europe (UNICE), Philippe de Buck focused on European development, competition, corporate problems, the EU's role in international relations, issues concerning the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the also world economy.View Details -
Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers: Presidency Conclusions on Social Protection
25-1-2003The discussion of social protection also took place in the light of the Lisbon strategy as this has unfolded through the successful application of the open method of coordination in the fields of social inclusion and of pensions over the last three years.View Details -
Summary of the Discussion During the Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers
24-1-2003The Informal Meeting of Employment and Social Policy Ministers, chaired by Minister Mr. Dimitris Reppas, took place in Nafplion on the 23rd and 24th of January 2003.View Details -
Conclusions of the Meeting of the Troika - Social Partners in the Context of the Informal Council of Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs in Nafplio
23-1-2003View Details -
Presentation of the Greek Presidency's priorities in the areas of employment and social protection by Labour and Social Security Minister Dimitris Reppas
22-1-2003The Minister of Labour and Social Security, Dimitris Reppas, in his capacity as president of the Labour and Social Affairs Council, presented to the European Parliament the Greek Presidency's priorities in the areas of employment and social protection.View Details -
Contribution by National Social Partners to the Luxembourg Process
17-1-2003The topic of the project 'Contribution by National Social Partners to the Luxembourg Process' (COPARSOC) carried out by the 'European Association for Territorial Excellence (EUREXTER=inspired by ETUC and CEEP) consists firstly of a discussion of around twenty initiatives in favour of employment in twelve Member States jointly presented by local level social partners in view of familiarising the French social partners with developments in other Member States. View Details -
UNICE Press Release on The Lisbon Strategy - Status 2003: "TIME IS RUNNING OUT, ACTION NEEDED NOW"
17-1-2003The business leaders of 27 European countries have assessed the progress achieved towards realisation of the Lisbon strategy to make of Europe "the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the word by 2010".View Details -
Diamantopoulou Says Early Retirement a "Crime"
17-1-2003The early retirement status is a "crime" both for the viability of the pension system and the labour market, EU Commissioner for Social Affairs, Mrs Anna Diamantopoulou said on Friday. View Details -
Commission Outlines New, More Operational European Employment Strategy
14-1-2003The European Commission has today adopted the outline of a new, more operational European Employment Strategy to confront new challenges such as faster economic change, ageing populations and enlargement. View Details -
Commission Urges Member States to Step up Economic and Social Reform
14-1-2003Member States must step up their efforts to implement reforms if the European Union is to achieve the objective of becoming the most competitive economy of the world. In its Report to the Spring European Council (21 March) the Commission argues that there are strong signs that reforms over the last five years have produced important structural changes. View Details -
Informal Meeting of Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs: Council Background Notes
14-1-2003OUR EUROPE: Sharing the future in a community of values with full employment and social cohesionView Details -
Pensions/Frequently Asked Questions
17-12-2002View Details -
Pensions: First Commission Evaluation of National Strategies for Adequate and Sustainable Pensions
17-12-2002The Commission today adopted, for the first time, a comprehensive EU-level analysis of national pension systems and their ability to face the challenge of demographic ageing. This review of pensions strategies in the Member States, which takes the form of a draft joint report of the Commission and of the Council, shows that all EU countries have, to a greater or lesser degree, launched reforms whose aim is to ensure adequate incomes to older people in the future without jeopardising sound public finances and without overburdening future generations. However, the Commission concludes that most Member States still have to make further reform efforts in order to guarantee adequate and sustainable pensions in an ageing society. View Details -
A New and Effective Social Dialogue
28-11-2002Speech by Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission at the Social Dialogue Summit in GenvalView Details -
Romano Prodi and Anna Diamantopoulou Welcome Social Partners' Agreement on Multiannual Work Programme.
27-11-2002A Social Dialogue Summit will take place tomorrow, 28 November, in Brussels with Romano Prodi in the Chair. Some 110 social partners will take part in this summit, including, for the first time, representatives of the candidate countries. View Details -
Work and Family Life Must Be Better Reconciled - EU Presidency Conference in Denmark
27-11-2002In recent years, social and labour market policy has received increasingly high priority in the EU. Some of the important goals include improvement of equality between men and women, getting more people, especially women, into jobs, and increasing the birth rate in the EU, so that future generations will be numerous enough to ensure continued European momentum.View Details -
Reconciliation of Family Life and Working Life in the EU
27-11-2002On 25 and 26 November 2002, the Danish EU Presidency addresses the issue of "Care for children and other dependent people â Equal opportunities in the European Employment Strategy process" .View Details -
European Commission Reports Improved Performance in EU Labour Markets Despite Economic Slowdown
12-11-2002 The European Commission will agree tomorrow on a report on Member States' employment performance in 2001.View Details -
Commission Issues Draft Joint Employment Report 2002
12-11-2002The Joint Employment Report is prepared by the Commission in conformity with Article 128 of the Treaty. View Details -
New forms of work organisation - Conference in Roskilde on 12 and 13 November
12-11-2002The European labour market is to become more socially inclusive regarding employees and of increased value to the business community and employers.View Details -
Social Partners to Play a Crucial Role in the Future of Europe
29-10-2002 Interview with Danish Minister for Employment Claus Hjort FrederiksenView Details -
The Fight Against Poverty
21-10-2002 Decision-makers from all EU Member States and Candidate Countries agreed to continue an even more powerful fight against poverty.View Details -
Statement on Revision of the European Employment Strategy
14-10-2002The Danish Employment Minister, Claus Hjort Frederiksem, made a statement to the European Parliament in Brussels last Wednesday on the outcome of discussions at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (ESPHCA) Council on the revision of the European Employment Strategy. View Details -
Personal Networks Create Borderless Job Opportunities
Seminar in Copenhagen on European Co-operation Between Public Employment ServicesView Details -
Priorities of the Economic and Social Committee for the Next Six Months Discussed
18-7-2002On behalf of the Danish Presidency, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, Minister for Employment, today met with the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) and presented the political priorities for the coming six months.View Details -
More Jobs Throughout Europe: Commission Welcomes Evaluation of European Employment Strategy (EES)
Improvements in the workings of EU labour markets have created more jobs across Europe, concludes a five-year evaluation of the European Employment Strategy (EES) adopted in summary form in a Commission Communication today.View Details -
Telework: New Agreement Is Good News for Workers and Business, Says Commission.
16-7-2002An agreement to give some 4.5 million employed teleworkers in the EU more security, whilst maintaining business flexibility, was welcomed today by the European Commission. View Details -
The European Commission States Immigration Not Enough to Stop Future Labour Market Problems.
29-5-2002Brussels: Even current rates of immigration cannot improve the labour market situation in Europe as a result of the consequences of the ageing of the population in Europe, according to the Commission's annual report on the social situation in Europe.View Details -
The Danish European Union Presidency 2002
On 1 July 2002 Denmark took over the Presidency of the European Union for the sixth time. For the six months prior to 31 December 2002, Denmark will have the task of setting the agenda, being the driving force and creating comprises in EU cooperation. View Details