Social Europe is an old idea. As old as the European construction. And it has already experienced several attempts to launch ad hoc devices. The first attempt to implement it occurs in the early 1970s and more precisely in 1973-1974. This is a period of economic turmoil for the European
EFSA and RoundUp! An agency above suspicion?
It seems that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) completely forgot the definition of one of its most important characteristics. Whereas the Authority is supposed to be responsible for the surveillance and control of the products in use on the European market in order to safeguard the health of European
A Social Europe: a citizens’ will above all
In his speech on the State of the Union delivered on 13 September 2017, the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker reaffirmed the will of the Commission and its services to impulse the creation of a social Europe. For this reason, he urges the EU Member States to find
‘Multi-Speed Europe’: а high risk (differentiated) integration project?
On 1 March 2017, the European Commission (EC) submitted its White Paper on the Future of the European Union. It presents five scenarios for the future of Europe: the third being for eventual ‘multi-speed Europe’ (MSE). This is the scenario where a “Coalitions of the willing” can, if the countries
Brexit: economic and social rights with their backs to the wall
No one ignores it, the United-Kingdom is about to leave the European Union. On 23 June 2017, British citizens have voted to leave the Union in a referendum organised by former conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron. The so-called “leave vote” obtained 51.9% of the votes. While this is not an
The European Social Pillar is not (yet) the one Europe needs
A year ago, the European Commission (EC) launched a public consultation about the European social pillar project. A common social base for all Member States was Jean-Claude’s Juncker ambition as he called to make Europe more social in its speech on the state of the Union on September 2016[1].
In
‘Multi-Speed Europe’: а high risk (differentiated) integration project?
On 1 March 2017, the European Commission (EC) submitted its White Paper on the Future of the European Union. It presents five scenarios for the future of Europe: the third being for eventual ‘multi-speed Europe’ (MSE). This is the scenario where a “Coalitions of the willing” can, if the countries
Social Europe, a (very) long-term need!
On 5th January 2017, the European Commission presented an evaluation report[1] regarding the positive impact on employment of the European Social Fund (ESF) covering the period 2007 to 2013. Indeed, according to this report, “by the end of 2014, at least 9.4 million European residents found a job with support
Malta at the head of the Council of the European Union: a breath of fresh air for the rights of LGBTI persons
Since the beginning of January 2017, the archipelago of Malta is chairing the Council of the European Union (EU) presidency for the next six months. Its priorities include the objective to go further on gender equality issues. More specifically, the Maltese presidency plans to organise a ministerial conference on LGBTIQ
Social benefits fraud and “social tourism”: the construction of a fantasy
31 January 2017 – On the 13th of December 2016, the European Commission revealed the second part of its “Labour mobility” package. This is a proposal regulation which aims to coordinate social security systems. This proposal is a continuation of the same package of the 1996 directive review on the posting of workers.