Social Europe: Safeguarding social inclusion in the EU

The core of the European social model, the national welfare state, was under pressure prior to globalization. Social policy was already under stress due to increased competition from the single market. Even before the euro crisis, there were calls for the EU to do more for social equality and security and these calls have become much louder, as the social situation has worsened dramatically, especially in the southern countries of the EU.

This development presents the EU with the problem that on the one hand, the EU is responsible for achieving social inclusion in keeping with its objectives, yet on the other, member states have not conferred the competences for doing so to the EU. Conversely, member states face the problem that they hold responsibility, but are less and less in a position to provide equality of social inclusion. As a result, citizens’ expectations are being disappointed twice over, so increasing the EU’s acceptance deficit.

SIM Europe measures social justice (What is the current situation?), evaluates reforms (What are national governments doing? And what is the general thrust of their reforms?), and makes recommendations (How can the situation be improved?). Our focus is on six social dimensions: poverty prevention, access to training, labor market inclusion, anti-discrimination, health and inter-generational justice.

1)The annual “EU Social Justice Index” from the SGI team provides a country ranking measuring thesituation regarding social justice in all 28 member states. The input data is from Eurostat and the SGI network estimates.

2) Once a year, the “Reform Barometer” assesses member states’ specific reform efforts, with the help of an expert survey carried out in conjunction with the LSE.

3) Additionally, social policy briefs analyze current developments and draw up policy recommendations.