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EAPN’s initial response to Annual Growth Survey | More social investment but where are social rights and standards?

EAPN Press releases

Brussels, 30 November 2015 – As the European Commission finally adopted the Annual Growth Survey package (AGS 2016) last Thursday, Commissioner Thyssen promised to put “social fairness at the heart of our economic recovery. Member States need to overcome bottlenecks to job creation, improve the way labour markets work and make sure everybody in Europe can enjoy a decent level of social protection if we want to achieve more convergence.” However, the evidence of this new approach is not so clear, nor does the package contain any mention of the promised Social Pillar on rights and social standards.

ILO | The Decade of Adjustment : A Review of Austerity Trends 2010 – 2020 in 187 Countries

Other publications

18/11/2015 – This ILO paper: (i) examines the latest IMF government spending projections for 187 countries between 2005 and 2020 ; (ii) reviews 616 IMF country reports in 183 countries to identify the main adjustment measures considered by governments in both high-income and developing countries; (iii) applies the United Nations Global Policy Model to simulate the impact of expenditure consolidation on economic growth and employment; (iv) discusses how austerity threatens welfare and social progress; and (v) calls for urgent action by governments to adopt alternative and equitable policies for socio-economic recovery.

EC | Public consultation on work-life balance

EU Institutions News

18/11/2015 – Today the Commission has launched a public consultation on how to improve work-life balance and reduce obstacles to women’s participation in the labour market. This consultation follows the recent withdrawal of the Commission’s 2008 proposal to amend the Maternity Leave Directive. The Commission has committed to replacing the withdrawn proposal with a ‘new start’ initiative in its Work Programme for 2016.

Eurochild | Child poverty: European Parliament adopts long overdue resolution

Other News

25/11/2015 – Eurochild welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament Resolution Reducing inequalities with a special focus on child poverty by rapporteur Inês Cristina Zuber. The resolution, adopted today by large majority is the formal endorsement of the 2013 European Commission Recommendation Investing in Children: Breaking the cycle of disadvantage. This is the first EP resolution specifically on child poverty since 2008.