A paper examined and compared the effectiveness of minimum income (MI) schemes in protecting people of working age from poverty in the European Union – capturing the full range of individual and household circumstances, and quantifying the effects on people entitled to MI schemes using a comparable approach across countries. MI schemes performed better (paradoxically) in the context of a well-functioning labour market and a strong welfare state – calling into question the wisdom of a general shift to means-tested benefits. The global economic crisis would put MI schemes in several EU countries to a severe test: to meet the challenge, social safety nets needed to become stronger and tighter.
Source: Francesco Figari, Tina Haux, Manos Matsaganis and Holly Sutherland, Coverage and Adequacy of Minimum Income Schemes in the European Union, EUROMOD Working Paper EM8/10, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex
Links: Working paper | Abstract
Date: 2010-Dec
A report said that 17 per cent of the European Union population in 2008 – 81 million people – had disposable income that was below their national 'at-risk-of-poverty' threshold.
Source: Anthony Atkinson and Eric Marlier (eds.), Income and Living Conditions in Europe, Eurostat/European Commission
Links: Report | Eurostat press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A study examined international evidence on sanctions within welfare systems where benefits were conditional on claimant behaviour. In Europe, sanctions had had positive short-term effects such as reducing the amount of time people stayed on benefits and raising employment rates: but those who left benefits early due to the threat of sanctions often experienced poorer earnings and job stability.
Source: Julia Griggs and Martin Evans, Sanctions Within Conditional Benefit Systems: A review of evidence, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Report | Findings | JRF press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A report examined the extent to which European countries had developed gender equality considerations in their policies designed for the active inclusion of vulnerable groups in society. It provided concrete policy examples across the three pillars of the active inclusion strategy – adequate income support, inclusive labour markets, and access to quality services. It said that proper gender mainstreaming of policies, for the most part, was still underdeveloped.
Source: Marcella Corsi and Manuela Samek Lodovici (with Angela Cipollone, Carlo D'Ippoliti and Silvia Sansonetti), Gender Mainstreaming Active Inclusion Policies: Final synthesis report, European Commission
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Dec
A new book examined how the European Union's new strategy for sustainable and inclusive growth ('Europe 2020') could lead to a stronger social EU, with less poverty and greater social cohesion. It considered the format and role of EU co-ordination and co-operation in the social field under the new EU governance framework, in a context marked by slow recovery after the global economic crisis.
Source: Eric Marlier and David Natali (eds.) with Rudi Van Dam, Europe 2020: Towards a More Social EU?, Peter Lang
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Dec
A report analyzed pension systems in the European Union, assessed pension reforms, and developed an updated agenda for delivering adequate and sustainable pensions.
Source: Progress and Key Challenges in the Delivery of Adequate and Sustainable Pensions in Europe, European Economy Occasional Papers 71, European Union
Links: Report | Annexes | Summary | EU press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A briefing paper examined the European Commission Green Paper on pension policy (published in July 2010). It set out proposals for a 'more balanced debate' on pension policy.
Source: David Natali, The Green Paper on Pensions: A Critical Review, European Social Observatory
Links: Paper
Date: 2010-Dec
A report examined the role of social protection as an economic stabilizer within Europe. Not only did social protection (such as employment incentives and higher benefits) provide a safety net for those groups that had been hit hardest by the economic crisis, it also had a stabilizing effect on the overall demand for goods and services produced in the economy.
Source: Werner Eichhorst et al., The Role of Social Protection as an Economic Stabiliser: Lessons from the current crisis, Research Report 31, Institute for the Study of Labor (for European Parliament)
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Dec
The European Commission published a strategy for lifting 20 million people out of poverty by the European Union target of 2020. It said that it wanted to encourage new ways of working and help governments and other actors develop more effective and innovative methods to tackle poverty.
Source: The European Platform Against Poverty and Social Exclusion: A European framework for social and territorial cohesion, European Commission
Links: Strategy | EC press release | Solidar press release | EurActiv report
Date: 2010-Dec
A report examined how participation by children and young people in decisions affecting their lives could contribute to the fight against child poverty and social exclusion in Europe.
Source: Mieke Schuurman (ed.), Valuing Children's Potential: How children's participation contributes to fighting poverty and social exclusion, Eurochild
Links: Report | Eurochild press release
Date: 2010-Dec
