Topics: Social issues

  • Rural communities feel sidelined as income gap with urban areas increases by 19% over a decade

    The rural–urban income gap has increased by nearly 20% over the past decade, with higher incomes in urban areas than in rural areas. This, alongside the employment gap and the relatively poorer provision of public services in rural areas has contributed to a rise in rural communities expressing feelings of being mistreated, disrespected or ignored by their government.

  • World Mental Health Day

    Today is World Mental Health Day, an opportunity to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in support of mental health.

  • Job insecurity undermines democracy

    Workers on non-permanent contracts and workers with no formal contract are less satisfied with the functioning of democracy in their country, as are workers experiencing job insecurity.

  • Europe embracing green transition but large inequalities persist

    While some environmental indicators have improved across the EU, there are large inequalities between people at different income levels in Europe, with low-income populations drastically worse off in terms of the quality of their neighbourhood and housing.

  • Exploring the socio-economic impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy

    The move to a climate-neutral economy doesn't only represent risks and costs, but it has the potential to create exciting new opportunities with net employment gains, new business sectors and a healthier environment. Eurofound and the EEA have brought together EU level and regional experts and stakeholders to explore what these socioeconomic impacts could be and how policy could respond.

  • Practical barriers hinder job opportunities for people fleeing Ukraine

    People fleeing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine can seek jobs in Europe but not knowing the host country’s language and temporary job placements are just some of practical barriers identified in a new research paper from Eurofound and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).

  • First in-person meeting of National Child Guarantee Coordinators

    National Child Guarantee Coordinators met at Eurofound in Dublin yesterday, the first in-person meeting to be held in a Member State. Together, National Child Guarantee Coordinators reviewed progress made in reducing child poverty and improving access to services across Europe, as well as sharing practical experiences of sectoral reform.

  • Platform work can provide women with vital link to the labour market

    The growth of platform work has highlighted its potential for those that require more flexible work arrangements but has also raised concerns about working conditions and exposing the vulnerability of platform workers with respect to access to safe working environments and social protection.

  • Europe’s year of resilience and resolve

    Europe Day is a celebration of unity, solidarity and harmony. While we may not have had much to celebrate this past year, one thing we can be proud of is how Europe has come together in the face of large-scale challenges and threats, showing that solidarity is the key to resilience and resolve.

  • Europe's employment rebounds amid existential rethink

    Eurofound's Living and working in Europe Yearbook 2022 looks at the major trends in employment, social dialogue, working conditions, living conditions and quality of life in an important year for Europe, which saw the beginning of Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine, and the fallout for Europe and its citizens, including a cost-of-living crisis felt throughout the continent.

  • Eurofound launches Europe-wide survey on living and working conditions

    Eurofound, in partnership with the European Training Foundation (ETF), has launched a new online survey which aims to document living and working conditions in Europe and the evolving concerns of citizens amidst the cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine, and the broader post-COVID-19 context.

  • EU lack of labour won't be solved by skills alone: Improving job quality is key

    While an initiative such as the European Year of Skills is welcome, and improving skills can certainly go some way to help to address labour shortages, it is not a silver bullet. To address these challenges effectively, what is needed is a clear grasp of the drivers behind shortages in specific sectors and occupations and the policy context.

  • Skills alone will not solve labour shortages in Europe

    Eurofound’s new report looks at measures implemented at national level to tackle labour shortages in the health, care, and information and communication technology sectors, as well as those arising from the twin green and digital transition, to assesses what works and the contextual factors supporting or hindering effective policy implementation and outcomes.

  • Eurofound Talks: The work-life challenges of women and men

    Eurofound has published a special episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast to look at the work-life challenges of women and men, and in particular how gender segregation on the labour market, and gender inequalities in the division of paid and unpaid work, impede progress towards gender equality in Europe.

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