All Europeans should have access to fair and high-quality jobs. The Commission helps Member States to make reforms for better functioning labour markets that can address the substantial changes brought about by the twin digital and green transition. This may include developing innovative employment policies, strengthening active labour market policies or policies to fight undeclared work.
At the same time, solid social protection systems should be in place. The Commission supports Member States with the adaptation of their social protection systems in various ways and during all phases of the reform process. For instance, ongoing projects support reforms to strengthen supplementary pension savings; review disability policies and related procedures in compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities; and provide social benefits and services to vulnerable populations in a more integrated way.
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Labour market
Member States face the common challenge of the ongoing structural transformation of labour markets in the light of the digital and green transition. The Commission complements available funding tools at EU level by offering Member States concrete technical support with the design, planning and implementation of labour market reforms. Technical support projects can address both the revision of key labour market policies and the strengthening of the administrative capacity of the labour administration. The Commission can also support national structural reforms to close the gender gap by addressing unbalances between women and men in employment, pay, pension, income.
EXAMPLES OF SUPPORT AREAS
- Developing innovation and employment policies
- Fighting undeclared work
- Fostering the use of administrative data for policymaking
- Modernising the administration of labour market policies and programmes
- Strengthening the effectiveness of active labour market policies
The Commission provides technical support to Estonia, Greece, Spain, Italy and Slovenia to strengthen the capacity of public employment services and reform the delivery of active labour market policies.
Social protection
Ageing populations as well as the transformation of labour markets and economies pose challenges to the public provision of social benefits and services. The Commission supports Member States with the adaptation of their social protection systems in various ways and during all phases of the reform process. The support provided ranges from measures to strengthen administrative capacity to the review of benefit schemes, and an improved and better-coordinated delivery of social services.
EXAMPLES OF SUPPORT AREAS
- Developing inclusion and integration policies
- Improving the analytical capacity of social security administrations
- Improving the delivery of social services
- Improving the targeting and adequacy of social benefits
- Modernising the administration of social benefits and services
- Reviewing disability policy and assessment systems
- Strengthening the effectiveness of supplementary pension savings
The Commission has provided technical support to Ireland, Croatia, Lithuania and Slovenia in the field of supplementary pension savings.
The Commission has supported Belgium, Greece, Latvia and Lithuania in improving disability assessment methodologies and procedures to contribute to a more holistic assessment of disability that takes better account of functional capacity and individual circumstances.
The Commission has provided technical support to Greece and Italy to fight labour exploitation and undeclared work.
Contact details
Head of Unit Labour market, education, health and social services
RALUCA PAINTER
Further details on the work
REFORM-B4
ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (REFORM-B4[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Head of Unit Horizontal policies and migration
IOANNIS HADJIYIANNIS
Further details on the work
REFORM-01ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (REFORM-01[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
Main contact point for applying for the Technical Support Instrument
REFORM-TSIec [dot] europa [dot] eu (REFORM-TSI[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
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