Social protection is the future!

11 March 2016

This week has seen huge demonstrations by both trade unions and student unions in France protesting against the government’s proposals to create a more flexible and more inclusive labour market. Leaving aside the question as to whether the intentions of the reform are good or whether the bill could be better drafted, the demonstrations reflect widespread dissatisfaction amongst young people: what about their future? Is everything insecure in these times of crisis, of globalisation and of industry 4.0? The answer does not lie at the national level, there is a need for an ambitious investment programme, giving young people living in Europe real prospects for the future in order to build trust in the institutional side of democracy and in the European project. An essential task for progressives!

The Youth Guarantee was a first step, but as usual it was watered down at the national level and has not shown tangible results. Youth employment programmes launched at national levels over the last 30 years have introduced more flexibility into the labour market at the expense of protection and, in the end, have not really contributed to an increase in quality employment for young people.

Often we hear about the so-called mismatch between labour market needs and the lack of qualifications among young people. This argument is still very popular in particular in European conferences and consultations, but it hides another cruel reality: job creation is hampered by blind austerity and the lack of social investment in education. Highly skilled young people from Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece just continue to leave their countries as jobs are either non-existent or the only jobs available are precarious unqualified work, internships, zero hour or short term contracts. This week zero hour contracts were outlawed by a unanimous parliamentary decision in New Zealand. Europe should follow in its footsteps.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are another example of agenda setting that still needs to be translated into policy at European level. For SOLIDAR Social Protection is key. It generates benefits which can be shared and redistributed. And if the Pillar of Social Rights presented by Commissioner Thyssen last week goes in the right direction, it can rebuild trust in the capacity of institutions and policy to find solutions and give young generations a future. Losing the trust of the young generation, competition around risky trade-offs between the generations, between workers, unemployed and the migrants arriving, is poison to democracy. The fact that most young people are either abstaining from voting in elections or vote for populist and right extremist parties is a warning and a worrying signal. SOCIAL means investment in the future, in cohesion, it is not a cost factor undermining stability and growth pact!

SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards, the Progressive Civil Society Awards – The call for nominations is open

Who should receive this year’s SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards? Nominate now the organisation or individual whose efforts should be recognised with a Silver Rose Award in one of the three categories, Together for Social Europe, Building Learning Societies or Organising International Solidarity. The Silver Rose Nomination form.

Organising International Solidarity

European Parliament adopts a motion for a resolution on Egypt!

10 March 2016

On Thursday 10 March 2016, the European Parliament adopted a joint motion for a resolution on Egypt, notably the case of Giulio Regeni, by overwhelming majority. SOLIDAR welcomes this resolution, which comes after a continued lack of truth over the death of Italian PhD researcher Giulio Regeni, and the persistent violations of human rights for civil society, journalists, independent trade unions, human rights and workers’ rights defenders at large. While this resolution sends an important political message from the European Parliament that political and economic cooperation cannot compromise on human rights and fundamental freedoms, SOLIDAR calls on the EU institutions to be more vocal about the current ongoing crack down on independent trade unions and workers’ rights activists.

Read more on SOLIDAR calls to the EU Here

How to mainstream social protection in the European Development Fund’s (EDF) National Indicative Programmes (NIPs). Civil Society in DRC will tell us how

10 March 2016

Agenda 2030 and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda have reiterated governments’ commitment to the realisation of decent work and social protection for all: “We are committed to ending poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including by eradicating extreme poverty by 2030. All people must enjoy a basic standard of living, including through social protection systems.” (Agenda 2030, paragraph 24)

The EU, through its development cooperation policy and programmes, is already greatly contributing to the achievement of these objectives. The forthcoming review of the National Indicative Programmes (NIPs) negotiated in the framework of the 11th European Development Fund, can be an opportunity to further pursue the progressive realisation of the right to decent work and social protection for all and better align the EDF programme with the spirit of Agenda 2030.

The Social Protection Monitor’s country reports are published weekly, from 19 February – to mark World Day of Social Justice (20 February) till 7 April – to mark World Health Day. Read the full version of the Social Protection Monitor report on the Democratic Republic of the Congo here.

Together for Social Europe

SOLIDAR Statement “European Pillar of Social Rights – We need strong social safeguards in Europe to redefine our narrative”

08 March 2016
On Tuesday 8 March 2016, the European Commission presented its communication on a public consultation on the European Pillar of Social Rights which is accompanied by an outline of the Pillar as well as two staff working documents: one on key economic, labour market and societal trends and one on the EU social acquis. The process of building the Pillar is part of the ongoing process of “Deepening the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU)” and foresees a final proposal for the Pillar early in 2017.

The communication identifies policy domains to be addressed (e.g. Integrated social benefits and services, access to essential questions) and acknowledges the varying set of difficulties and differences throughout Europe when it comes to situations on the ground, standards, practices and so on. Although SOLIDAR welcomes the underlying narrative of the communication, its real impact will depend on the concrete elements of the Pillar that are to be presented early in 2017. One of SOLIDAR’s main concerns is the (semantic) confusion between the terms “minimum rights” and the “provision of rights” as the Commission repeatedly refers to “minimum rights” (health, safety, working time protection etc.). For SOLIDAR there is no such thing as minimum rights. A right is a right and cannot be quantified.
Read more

SOLIDAR together with our members will contribute to the public consultation and propose our vision of a strong Social Pillar. In anticipation of that, SOLIDAR, together with our members, has developed a briefing on social safeguards stressing that the Pillar of Social Rights can set up the basis for a more social Europe only if it ensures fundamental social, economic and cultural rights for its citizens and the people arriving in Europe today rather than limiting its content on minimum provisions. The SOLIDAR network considers an EU-wide applicable set of common and high-level social safeguards, namely adequate minimum income schemes, an adequate minimum wage and guaranteed non-discriminatory universal access to quality and affordable social, health, inclusive education and training and lifelong learning services as well as basic financial services as an indispensable element for empowering people and constructing a social union.

Statement – EU-Turkey summit: SOLIDAR deeply concerned about a European solution at the expense of human rights
09 March 2016

Following the EU-Turkey summit on 7 March, the EU Heads of State and Government issued a statement on the progress of the agreement with Turkey. SOLIDAR is deeply concerned by some aspects of the proposed deal.

Although consensus was not reached and the decision has been postponed for 10 days, EU and Turkish leaders agreed to work on the following aspects:

• To return all new irregular migrants crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands with the costs covered by the EU;
• To resettle, for every Syrian readmitted by Turkey from the Greek islands, another Syrian from Turkey to the EU Member States, within the framework of the existing commitments;
• To accelerate the implementation of the visa liberalisation roadmap with all Member States with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish citizens at the latest by the end of June 2016;
• To speed up the disbursement of the initially allocated three billion euros to ensure funding of a first set of projects before the end of March and decide on additional funding for the refugee facility for Syrians;
• To prepare for the decision on the opening of new chapters in the accession negotiations as soon as possible, building on the October 2015 European Council conclusions;
• To work with Turkey in any joint endeavour to improve humanitarian conditions inside Syria which would allow for the local population and refugees to live in areas with better safety conditions.

More on SOLIDAR concerns.

Is this the long awaited European solution? What are the costs in terms of protection of human rights and people’s dignity? No deal based on mass return agreements! No deal at the expense of human rights and fundamental freedoms! Open legal and safe channels!

09 March 2016

In 2012 the Council issued a recommendation on the validation of learning outcomes of non-formal and informal learning (NFIL), which has called on EU Member States to put validation arrangements in place by 2018. However, despite an increasing trend towards the creation of validation arrangements, more needs to be done by Member States as NFIL is often poorly recognised, not only by the public and education institutions, but as well by employers and learners themselves. Most of the countries are in need of developing comprehensive strategies to enable the validation of skills and competences acquired in non formal and informal settings.

This is also apparent in SOLIDAR Foundation’s Education and Lifelong Learning Watch (LLL Watch) initiative, where we monitor the development and commitment of national governments towards learning societies and where validation of NFIL is one of the six benchmarks that the SOLIDAR Foundation focused on this year. Out of the resulting 13 country studies, only Spain, Finland and France have developed a comprehensive national strategy at the time of writing this report. However, it is fair to say that progress has been made in the last few years. Good examples include of Italy where all certifications of qualifications obtained have to make reference to the corresponding European qualifications framework level, since January 2014.

The SOLIDAR Foundation together with its members also actively promotes the validation and recognition of NFIL in the recently published background paper on validation, which concludes with a case study by our Member Työväen Sivistysliitto (TSL – the Workers’ Educational Association WEA of Finland). In this policy document, the SOLIDAR Foundation stresses that NFIL enables people to acquire and develop civic, social and intercultural competences and transversal skills. NFIL, as an important component of national lifelong learning policies, can be crucial for the development of the individual, employment and social cohesion and contributes to social inclusion by reducing poverty and empowering the marginalised in society. In our recommendations, we call on Member States, amongst others, to increase the use and strengthen the recognition of validation of non-formal and informal learning for migrants and refugees. The identification and validation of prior competences are strategic tools for migrants and refugees to speed up their inclusion and integration into society.

More information on the final conference of the World of Work for youth project (WOW project) on 22 March 2016 is available here.

Building Learning Societies

Only one week left to register for the final conference on the World of Work (WOW project) for Youth

08 March 2016

In 2016 young adults earn considerably less than national averages, whereas they earned more than national averages 30 years ago. Today in many countries their earnings have slumped to as much as 20% below their average compatriot. It is likely to be the first time in the history of the industrialised world, save for periods of war or natural disaster, that the incomes of young adults have fallen so far in comparison with the rest of society. It is of utmost importance that young people be empowered and can actively participate in society (The Guardian).

The SOLIDAR Foundation works closely with its members on youth issues and fights for a society in which young people have the opportunity to establish themselves. In this context, we would like to invite you to the final conference on the World of Work project (WOW project) for youth which will take place on 22 March 2016 in Brussels.

The conference is hosted by MEP Brando Benifei (S&D).Confirmed panelists include MEP Terry Reintke (Greens); MEP Lynn Boylan (GUE/NGL); Vasiliki Kokkori, member of Cabinet of Marianne Thyssen and Tom Vrijens, President of the ETUC Youth Committee.

Here you can find the draft programme and more information on the conference. Read more.

Recognising the opportunities and potential of non-formal and informal learning

09 March 2016

In 2012 the Council issued a recommendation on the validation of learning outcomes of non-formal and informal learning (NFIL), which has called on EU Member States to put validation arrangements in place by 2018. However, despite an increasing trend towards the creation of validation arrangements, more needs to be done by Member States as NFIL is often poorly recognised, not only by the public and education institutions, but as well by employers and learners themselves. Most of the countries are in need of developing comprehensive strategies to enable the validation of skills and competences acquired in non formal and informal settings. More here.