The lockdown and other restrictive measures introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing economic recession have had a strong impact on labour markets worldwide. As far as the European Union (EU) is concerned, the accelerated fall in total employment was the 'sharpest decline ever...

The Covid-19 pandemic severely affected some categories of non-standard workers, and particularly the self-employed. The emergency measures cushioned the potentially disastrous effect on their social circumstances, but undeniably highlighted even more the gaps in their access and entitlement to...

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, major financial support has been pledged to Member States. This funding draws on the EU's multiannual financial framework and the 'NextGenerationEU' with, at its core, the temporary 'Recovery and Resilience Facility' (RRF). While some reporting templates...

In view of the formidable challenges ahead related to recovery from the Covid-19 crisis and to the green and digital transitions, the EU social governance toolbox should urgently be strengthened. This paper discusses the conditions for and added value of setting up an EU Social Imbalances...

The spread of Covid-19 and the ensuing adoption of lockdown measures have had severe consequences for European labour markets. All EU governments quickly made unprecedented economic and social support available to tackle the consequences of the pandemic. However, these measures - introduced by...

One of the hallmarks of the European Union (EU) Member States' social protection systems, unlike that of other regions in the world, is the right to income protection in case of sickness. To differing extents, all EU countries provide three types of arrangements in case of sickness: a) sick...

In this report, Frank Vandenbroucke and Bart Vanhercke argue that Europe is in need of a "Social Union": one that would support national welfare states on a systemic level in some of their key functions (such as macroeconomic stabilisation) and guide the substantive development of national...