OSE started new research for the European Trade Union Institute aimed at developing a critical assessment of the welfare reforms adopted by the Member States in the wake of the economic and fiscal crisis. The research project embraces a larger set of policies: labour market policies, social policies (pensions), education, R&D, and public sector reforms. Some of these areas are typical examples of the so-called ‘structural reforms’ supported by international organisations and the EU.
Welfare reforms
In spite of the current strong emphasis in all EU countries on means to tackle youth unemployment, the participation of older individuals in the labour market remains a significant policy challenge. This is due to the interplay of the current recession, the ageing of the population and the need to control public welfare spending (pensions, unemployment benefits and social assistance). In this context, the European Social Observatory has started a new European Commission-funded project, called Policies for an Aged Workforce in the EU (PAWEU). The project is coordinated by the Fondazione G.