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Fremme af social samhørighed og konvergens

Fremme af social samhørighed og konvergens er en af de seks hovedaktiviteter i Eurofounds arbejdsprogram for perioden 2021-2024. Eurofound vil fortsat fungere som et ekspertisecenter for overvågning og analyse af de vigtigste tendenser og afgørende faktorer for opnåelse af opadgående konvergens i leve- og arbejdsvilkårene samt styrkelse af den økonomiske og sociale samhørighed i EU. Covid-19 -pandemien udgør en hidtil uset udfordring for EU's økonomiske og sociale modstandsdygtighed og viser, hvor skrøbelige de fremskridt, der allerede er opnået i konvergensmønstrene, er.

I løbet af de næste fire år vil Eurofound give et vigtigt indblik i udfordringerne og udsigterne inden for social samhørighed og konvergens i EU samt bidrage til at sikre, at Unionens økonomier og samfund er modstandsdygtige over for fremtidige chok. Eurofound vil udvide tidligere års arbejde med temaet opadgående konvergens og lægge særlig vægt på den potentielle stigning i nye uligheder blandt borgerne samt håndtering af de øgede udfordringer for den sociale samhørighed, som krisen har medført. Agenturet vil regelmæssigt aflægge rapport om tendenserne i den opadgående konvergens i den socioøkonomiske dimension samt i de dimensioner, der er skitseret i den europæiske søjle for sociale rettigheder på medlemsstatsplan og regionalt plan, og samtidig vil EU blive sammenlignet med andre udviklede lande.

Ved undersøgelsen af drivkræfterne bag og konsekvenserne af økonomisk og social konvergens vil Eurofound være opmærksom på en række faktorer: sociale investeringer, mobilitet og institutionelle rammer, regulering, velfærdssystemer, institutionel kvalitet samt offentlige tjenester social dialog og strukturreformer. Forskningen vil undersøge effektiviteten af EU's reaktion på pandemien, hvad angår økonomisk og social konvergens. Den vil desuden tage situationen i euroområdet i betragtning og fokusere på den rolle, som arbejdsmarkedsrelaterede processer spiller med hensyn til at påvirke konvergensen.

Eurofound vil undersøge tendenserne og drivkræfterne bag den sociale samhørighed i EU, især ved at undersøge, hvordan covid-19-pandemien har øget de eksisterende uligheder eller udløst nye, der påvirker samfundet i almindelighed eller specifikke grupper af borgere. Analysen vil fokusere på økonomiske, sociale og sundhedsmæssige forskelle, både på arbejdsmarkedet og med hensyn til adgang til og kvalitet af vigtige varer og tjenesteydelser, såsom sundhedspleje, bolig, uddannelse og social sikring . Sammenhængen mellem uligheder, tillid til og utilfredshed med institutioner vil blive undersøgt. Andre interesseområder omfatter migration , integration og samfundsmæssige spændinger.

De forskningsresultater, der fremkommer af denne aktivitet, vil bidrage til arbejdet i de forskellige tjenestegrene i Europa-Kommissionen og Beskæftigelsesudvalget (EMCO), Udvalget for Social Beskyttelse (SPC), Det Økonomiske og Finansielle Udvalg (EFC), Rådet og Europa-Parlamentet, herunder i forbindelse med det europæiske semester.

»Covid-19-krisen har bragt begrebet opadgående konvergens tilbage i centrum af den politiske debat ... Opadgående konvergens er vigtig for Unionens stabilitet. Hvis man ikke opfylder løftet om opadgående konvergens, risikerer man at underminere Unionens funktion og skabe politisk utilfredshed med Den Europæiske Unions projekt.«

— Massimiliano Mascherini, leder af enheden for sociale anliggender

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The European Child Guarantee outlines recommendations for Member States to support effective access to adequate housing for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

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The European Child Guarantee outlines recommendations for Member States to support effective and free access to quality healthcare for children at risk of poverty or social exclusion.

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Vigtige politiske budskaber


Infografik

De vigtigste resultater af Eurofounds forskning tjener som grundlag for de politiske beslutningstagere, så de kan behandle nogle af de mest centrale spørgsmål på dette område.

  • Bæredygtig økonomisk og social konvergens er afgørende for Europas vedvarende stabilitet og kræver en integreret europæisk tilgang.
  • Divergerende økonomiske og sociale resultater blandt medlemsstaterne bringer den fælles velstand samt anstændige leve- og arbejdsvilkår i fare, og derfor er det vigtigt at overvåge konvergenstendenserne i EU og gennemføre en politik for at undgå divergenser.
  • Før covid-19-udbruddet havde Europa oplevet seks års uafbrudt økonomisk vækst, absorberet konsekvenserne af krisen i 2008 samt registreret opadgående konvergens på områder som beskæftigelse og risiko for fattigdom. Men ikke alle medlemsstater nød lige godt af dette, og de regionale forskelle voksede.
  • Der er en risiko for, at covid-19-pandemien yderligere vil øge ulighederne mellem medlemsstaterne og på tværs af socioøkonomiske grupper. Den vil teste medlemsstaternes økonomiske og sociale modstandsdygtighed mod risikoen for økonomiske og sociale forskelle i Den Europæiske Union. Disse voksende forskelle kan også påvirke EU's stabilitet og understreger behovet for at gennemføre den europæiske søjle for sociale rettigheder fuldt ud og tydeligt at informere EU's borgere om disse foranstaltninger.
  • Fastholdelse af borgernes tillid til nationale og europæiske institutioner skal fortsat være et centralt fokusområde i krisetider, da overholdelse af foranstaltninger til bekæmpelse af covid-19 i høj grad afhænger af tillid til institutioner og videnskabelig rådgivning. Den større tillid til institutionerne, som respondenter, der har modtaget støtte, har angivet, sender også et klart signal til de nationale regeringer og EU.

2021–2024 work plan

During 2021–2024, Eurofound will provide an important insight into the challenges and prospects in the area of social cohesion and convergence in the EU, helping to ensure its economies and societies are resilient to future shocks. Eurofound will expand on its work from previous years on the upward convergence theme, with particular emphasis on the potential rise of new inequalities among citizens and how to address the increased challenges to social cohesion brought about by the crisis. The Agency will report regularly on trends in upward convergence in the socioeconomic dimension, as well as in the dimensions outlined in the European Pillar of Social Rights at Member State and regional levels, while also comparing the EU with other developed countries.

In exploring the drivers and implications of economic and social convergence, Eurofound will pay attention to a range of factors: social investment, mobility and institutional frameworks, regulation, welfare systems, institutional quality and public servicessocial dialogue and structural reforms. The research will examine the effectiveness of the EU’s response to the pandemic for economic and social convergence. It will also consider the situation in the euro area, as well as focusing on the role of industrial relations processes in influencing convergence.

Eurofound will investigate the trends and drivers of social cohesion in the European Union, in particular examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated existing inequalities or triggered new ones affecting society more broadly or specific groups of citizens. The analysis will focus on economic, social and health disparities, both in the labour market and in terms of access to and quality of crucial goods and services such as healthcare, housing, education and social protection. The link between inequalities, institutional trust and discontent will be studied. Other areas of interest include migration, integration and societal tensions.

The research results emerging from this activity will contribute to the work of the different services of the European Commission and the Employment Committee (EMCO), the Social Protection Committee (SPC), the Economic and Financial Committee (EFC), the Council and the European Parliament, including in relation to the European Semester.

Addressing stakeholder priorities

Eurofound’s research aims to assist policy action to support sustainable upward economic and social convergence, to reduce multidimensional inequalities and to develop initiatives to strengthen social cohesion, helping to address the challenges facing the EU and national levels brought about by COVID-19. By investigating the pandemic recovery programmes at European level and their effect on economic and social convergence, Eurofound aims to inform policymakers on ways to promote convergence and the effectiveness of various initiatives. Research on social cohesion is intended to advance the debate on ways to promote policies towards a fairer and more inclusive society.

The Agency’s work programme is aligned with the European Commission’s political guidelines over the next four years, directly feeding into a number of key policy areas aimed at creating a strong social Europe. In particular, the research links in with the EU objective of sustainable economic and social convergence and will seek to support the debate on the European Pillar of Social Rights, its implementation and monitoring role, as well as on the reform of Economic and Monetary Union. Findings on trust can contribute to the initiatives regarding the Future of Europe debate.

 

Eurofound research

In 2024, Eurofound continues to study upward convergence towards better working and living conditions and stronger economic and social cohesion. The focus is on the potential rise of new inequalities and how to explain and address the increased challenges to the social cohesion of the EU brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Eurofound continues to report on the latest trends in and drivers of upward convergence in the socioeconomic dimension by updating and maintaining its dashboard of indicators and by providing regular annual updates at Member State and regional level.

Building on previous work on income inequalities and on the middle classes, research concludes on trends in this area, shedding light on the impact of the increased cost of living on different income groups, including the middle class, and households.

Eurofound provides new evidence on the role of human capital in inequalities across the EU, in particular its role in ensuring social cohesion and convergence. Alongside exploring stocks and flows of human capital across Member States, the study offers an insight into the role of education as a driver of economic and social convergence. 

New evidence also sheds light on the emerging challenges and opportunities arising from the high inflow of Ukrainian refugees to the EU, focusing on integration efforts at EU and national level, as well as the impact on public services.

A new project on the role of digitalisation complements Eurofound’s work on convergence and inequalities. This research analyses the long-term trends in the uptake and usage of digital technologies by EU citizens and the progress made by Member States in fulfilling the targets set in their recovery and resilience plans. It also assesses if digitalisation is a driver of economic and social convergence in the EU, with a focus on income, employment and poverty.

Building on previous work in 2019 and drawing on newer data, Eurofound aims to identify changes in overall wealth distribution during recent years and produce a more detailed account of the size and composition of the population with no or negative wealth, and of the asset composition of the wealth quintiles.

New research also examines the dynamics of social cohesion, polarisation in perceived trust in institutions and satisfaction with democracy in Europe. This analysis explores social developments that can lead to tensions, withdrawal or radicalisation, and the main dimension of the polarisation in European societies over the last decade. Looking at the 2024 European elections, the research investigates new forms of inclusive participation and their possible effect on polarisation.

Key outputs

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Eurofound's 2024 work programme is set in the context of the upcoming European elections, war in Ukraine, renewed Middle East conflict and rising cost of living across the EU.

23 januar 2024
Publication
Work programme
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Covid-19-pandemien havde forskellige konsekvenser for sociale grupper, afhængigt af hvilke ugunstige omstændigheder der gjorde sig gældende. Der var bred enighed om, at pandemien udløste en stigning i uligheder på tværs...

24 januar 2023
Publication
Research report

Eurofound expert(s)

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Massimiliano Mascherini has been Head of the Social Policies unit at Eurofound since October 2019. He joined Eurofound in 2009 as a research manager, designing and coordinating...

Head of Unit,
Social policies research unit
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Eleonora Peruffo is a research officer in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. She works on topics related to upward convergence and social cohesion in Europe. During 2021–2022...

Research officer,
Social policies research unit
Publications results (35)

The urban-rural divide in EU countries has grown in recent years, and the depopulation of certain rural areas in favour of cities is a challenge when it comes to promoting economic development and maintaining social cohesion and convergence.

18 October 2023

The European Child Guarantee was established in 2021 to ensure that children in need have access to a set of key services. This policy brief analyses trends and disparities in children’s access to early childhood education and care, education, healthcare, nutrition and housing.

21 September 2023

This report investigates the social groups whose attachment to the labour market may be unstable and who are most likely to have non-standard working arrangements, and the implications of such arrangements, and job insecurity, for workers’ well-being, social exclusion, trust, perception of fairness

29 August 2023

Denne rapport undersøger dynamikken i EU-medlemsstaternes miljøpræstationer, og i hvilket omfang skævhederne med hensyn til deres præstationer er indsnævret siden begyndelsen af 2000'erne. Rapporten er frugten af et samarbejde mellem Eurofound – med sin tekniske ekspertise inden for konvergens – og

03 August 2023

Som reaktion på Ruslands krig mod Ukraine aktiverede EU sit direktiv om midlertidig beskyttelse for personer, der flygtede fra landet, og gav dem mulighed for at bosætte sig i EU og få adgang til grundlæggende offentlige tjenester og arbejdsmarkedet. I foråret 2023 havde mere end 4,5 millioner

14 June 2023

2022 begyndte med forsigtig optimisme. Europa var på vej ud af to år med covid-19-pandemien, og gennem NextGenerationEU blev der fastlagt en genopretningsplan for at skabe en stærk og bæredygtig fremtid. Det russiske angreb på Ukraine i begyndelsen af året ændrede imidlertid situationen drastisk, og

04 May 2023

Historisk set tager den politiske debat om EU-konvergens til umiddelbart efter en krise. I kølvandet på covid-19-pandemien er formålet med denne rapport at gøre status over de seneste to årtiers tendenser inden for konvergensområdet. Undersøgelsen indledes med en empirisk undersøgelse af økonomisk

22 March 2023

Covid-19-pandemien havde forskellige konsekvenser for sociale grupper, afhængigt af hvilke ugunstige omstændigheder der gjorde sig gældende. Der var bred enighed om, at pandemien udløste en stigning i uligheder på tværs af forskellige områder af tilværelsen. Ved hjælp af indikatorer fra EU's

24 January 2023

Rapporten undersøger, hvordan borgernes tillid til institutioner — herunder de nationale myndigheder i EU, videnskaben og medierne — udviklede sig under covid-19-pandemien i 2020 og 2021. Mediernes rolle analyseres, navnlig sammenhængen mellem brugen af sociale medier og tillid, og konsekvenserne af

16 November 2022

Kvaliteten af institutionerne er en afgørende faktor for at opnå opadgående økonomisk og social konvergens i EU og spiller en afgørende rolle i at skabe økonomisk vækst, tiltrække udenlandsk investering, sikre gennemførelsen af politikker og reformer og få adgang til EU-midler. De offentlige

07 November 2022

Online resources results (2)
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Twin transition and pandemic challenge Eurofound to increase expertise, strengthen partnerships, expand reach, says new Director

Eurofound welcomed Ivailo Kalfin to his new role as Executive Director on 1 June. After one month in the job, he reflects on the challenges facing the EU, how they will impact on the work of Eurofound and his priorities for shaping the Agency over the next five years.

Monitoring Convergence in the European Union. Joint Meeting of the Social Protection Committee Indicators Sub-Group and the EMCO Indicators Group, 13 March 2018, Brussels, Belgium. Presentation by Massimiliano Mascherini, Senior Research Manager, Eurofound.

13 marts 2018
Blogs results (7)

The state in which the EU finds itself has been described as a ‘permacrisis’, whereby the Union is confronted by challenge after challenge, and citizens are constantly having to adapt to a ‘new normal’.

11 december 2023

Child poverty and exclusion in the EU is on the rise. To address this worrying trend, EU policy needs to focus on access to services, which requires improving data collection, targeting inequalities and involving the workforce that delivers services in policymaking.

24 oktober 2023
Image of people waiting for tram in city street and man cycling on cycle path

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions have caused energy prices to soar. Governments seeking to alleviate the negative impacts of price increases on households have introduced energy subsidies and VAT reductions for electricity, gas and fuel. While such policies may be needed

10 juni 2022
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When it comes to Europe’s COVID-19 recovery and its aspiration to build back a more resilient society, the so-called green and digital transitions have dominated EU policy discussions. And as Eurofound made preparations for the 2022 Foundation Forum – a unique occasion for high-level debate on the

11 marts 2022
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The exponential growth of COVID-19 cases across Europe this autumn has quickly erased hopes that the virus had been contained and confirmed the surge of another wave of the pandemic. With Member States now implementing new restrictive measures for the second time since March in an attempt to control

23 oktober 2020
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The votes have been cast, tallied and declared and we can now see the political landscape of the new European Parliament. It is a complex picture: there has been growth of far-right and populist parties, but well short of what was projected, and at the same time there has been a boost for pro

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When EU Heads of State or Government gather in Gothenburg this week to debate fair jobs and growth, it will be the first such ‘social summit’ in 20 years. At the heart of the agenda of this high-level gathering will be the formal proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights – 20 principles

14 november 2017
Upcoming publications results (3)

The focus of this report is on the role that human capital plays in determining inequalities across the EU, as well as within Member States. Using Cedefop’s work in this area, the report provides a comparative analysis of national trends in education and lifelong learning, including differences betw

August 2024

The report maps trends in income inequality and examines the situation of the middle classes in the EU during 2020, the year most associated with the COVID-19 lockdowns. It charts developments in the size and composition of middle-class households across countries, identifies those that suffered dis

July 2024

The report describes trends in social and economic discontent across the EU between 2002 and 2020, highlighting in particular the turbulent times brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report explores the evolution of social cohesion and its impact on economic and social discontent. It assesses

April 2024
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report

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