Europejski Komitet Ekonomiczno-Społeczny
In 2013 the European Economic and Social Committee’s Permanent Study Group on the Transport White Paper commissioned IFOK with drawing up a study on civil society involvement in European transport policies and projects. The aim of the study is to identify existing good practices in the field and, building on their assessment, to develop possible approaches for the EESC by which it can contribute to more participatory decision-making.
The following study gives an overview of the current economic and social situation in Austria, with a particular focus on explaining the Austrian labour relations model and the importance of social partnership and its role in developments since the onset of the global economic crisis in 2008-2009.
Radical labour market reforms were implemented in Germany between 2002 and 2005, reforms that overturned the received idea that Germany was suffering from "reform paralysis". However, the part of these reforms that specifically concerned labour law was very small; their main purpose was to overhaul the social security and activation system for the unemployed and others of working age who are in need of support in line with a "work first" strategy. These reforms were extremely controversial and changed the party-political landscape in Germany.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential for governance improvements in the internal market with a view to removing bureaucratic hurdles for business. Its conclusion is that the European Commission, although active in cutting red tape in EU legislation, is not intervening yet in the case of gold-plating, which is over-compliance at the national/regional/local level. A key problem with gold-plating is precisely its tendency to overlap across multiple layers of competence. Gold-plating does happen and in certain cases undermines European competitiveness.
The Observatory is carrying out a study on the implementation of EU policies for youth employment in a selection of six Member States: Austria, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Italy and Slovakia, seen from a civil society perspective.
The Observatory is carrying out a study on the implementation of EU policies for youth employment in a selection of six Member States: Austria, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Italy and Slovakia, seen from a civil society perspective.
2nd Edition
The pilot study on "The workings of the Services Directive in the construction sector" carried out by the Single Market Observatory (SMO) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was presented at the EESC Plenary on 30 April 2014.
The report in all languages, a short video presentation by Mr Siecker, president of the Section for the Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT), the preliminary evaluation of the replies to the questionnaire and the staff working paper are available on our website:
Assessment of the EES C’s prospective role in designing a ‘European Just Culture Charter’
Assessment of the EESC’s prospective in designing a “European Just Culture Charter"
SUMMARY
Compendium of studies carried out in 2012 on the initiative of the EESC
