Social Cohesion in Europe Summer Course Magellan Exchange May 2011 Maja Rocak Research Centre Social Integration CESRT

Content Before the break Part 1: The concept of Europe Part 2: Europe and the rest: some data Part 3: Council of Europe and European Union CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak2

Content And after the break Part 4: Social welfare in Europe Part 5: Social Cohesion Part 6: Models of social welfare in Europe CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak3

Timetable Part 1, 2 and 3 Break (10 min) Part 4, 5 and 6 Questions/discussion CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak4

Part 1 Quiz CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak5

Question 1: Europe: how many countries? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak6

How many cultures and languages? 27 EU member states EU has 25 official languages Europe counts 290 languages/dialects EU has 56 million (12%) migrants (Eurostat, 2003) on a total population of 490 million people CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak7

Question 2: What are the borders? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak8

Question 3: What are the main events? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak9

World Wars CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak10

History – Greek democracy, – Roman Empire, – Middle ages, – Renaissance, – Enlightenment, – Industrial revolution, – Two wars in 20th century Beatels Beckams Etc. CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak11

What have we learned from the quiz? Europe is a multydymensional notion: Geography Culture History Nations & regions Institutions CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak12

Part 2: Europe and the rest: surface CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak13

Europe and the rest: GDP CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak14

Europe and the rest: population CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak15

Europe and the rest CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak16

Part 3: European institutions – Council of Europe (COE), – European Union (EU), – And many more… CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak17

Main European Bodies: the Council of Europe Sited in Strasbourg, France 47 members, representing 800 million people Intergovernmental body Objective: – Promotion of human rights and democracy Doesn’t have supranational powers CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak18

COE short film =quisommesnous&l=en =quisommesnous&l=en CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak19

Aims To protect human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law To promote awareness and encourage the development of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity To find common solutions to the challenges facing European society (discrimination, intolerance, terrorism, corruption, etc.) To consolidate democratic stability in Europe by backing political, legislative and constitutional reform CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak20

How it functions Committee of the Ministers Parliamentary Assembly Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Secretary General CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak21

Council of Europe CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak22

Main European Bodies: the European Union Sited in Brussels 27 member states (out of 50 European countries), representing 495 million people Supranational body Objective: – Economic integration: internal market and EMU – Political integration: Constitution and Parliament – Social integration: the European Social Model CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak23

European Union CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak24

How does it work? EU countries set up bodies to run the EU and adopt its legislation. The main ones are: 1.the European Parliament (representing the people of Europe); 2.the Council of the European Union (representing national governments); 3.the European Commission (representing the common EU interest). CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak25

EU budget CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak26

EU based on treaties The European Union is based on the rule of law. This means that everything that it does is derived from treaties, which are agreed on voluntary and democratically by all Member States. CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak27

What are the results so far? Frontier-free travel and trade, the euro (the single European currency), safer food and a greener environment, better living standards in poorer regions, joint action on crime and terror, cheaper phone calls, millions of opportunities to study abroad, family reunification … and much more besides. CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak28

Pause Coffee and a snack anyone? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak29

Quiz! Part 2 Question 1: Council of Europe (COE) focuses on: a)Promoting economic unity of Europe b)Promoting human rights c)Promoting tourism is Strasbourg CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak30

Quiz Part 2 Question 2: Name 3 acomplishments of European Union (EU) by now. CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak31

Part 4: Social Welfare in Europe Social welfare in Europe: some common problems General trends Social cohesion definition EU & Social Cohesion Models of European Welfare State CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak32

Social welfare in Europe Some problems: – Poverty – Homelessness – Mental and physical disabilities – Abuse – Etc. Different answers – The need for cross-border exchange and learning – No imitation: social practice is contextual CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak33

Social welfare in Europe: some common trends Triple ageing of population: – More people of 65+ (25% of EU population in 2035) – Longer life expectations of people of 65+ – Less children and youngsters (declining birth rate in Europe: 1,47 child per woman) – Potential support rate: 1950: 12/1 2000: 9/1 2050:4/1 CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak34

CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak35

Global ageing – 60 years and older, 2000 and 2050 CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak36

Social welfare in Europe: some common trends Transition from rural to industrial to knowledge-based society Declining role of traditional institutions (religion, trade unions, political parties), individualisation, development of network society and growing awareness of differences/diversity Moving away from cohesive to an individualistic society -Putnam: bowling alone Neo Liberal trend CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak37

Social cohesion

Part 5: Social cohesion Definition: Social cohesion involves building shared values and communities of interpretation, reducing disparities in wealth and income, and generally enabling people to have the sense that they are engaged in a common enterprise, facing shared challenges and that they are members of the same community (Rosell, 1995). CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak39

COE definition Social cohesion = a society’s ability to secure the long-term well-being of al its members Council of Europe (2005) CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak40

Social Cohesion in the EU No explicit definition Poorly stressed Seen as an integration into labour market CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak41

European Social Policy Subsidiarity: no EU intervention in national social policy (Every member state has own social policy) EU regional Policy: dividing prosperity CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak42

Assumption: “Work is the route out of poverty” “Employment is the main road to social cohesion”

EU Social Cohesion Policy Indicators: GDP, poverty, income inequality, etc. Integration of economy and social policy European Social Fund (supports (almost) only employment and training) CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak44

Some conclusions: No clear definition: has multiple meanings in policy use Emphasis on economic aspects Multiple ways of measuring (including multiple EU indicators and national indicators) Multi-dimensional phenomenon: reduction of inequality and poverty presents consensus dimension CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak45

Conclusion Promoting employment as a way out of exclusion European Union Making own social policies Member states Often front line of conducting social actions Regions/ Municipalities CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak46

Part 6: Five Models of the European Welfare State Welfare states financed through taxation Core question: what welfare mix (state, market and civil society) is responsible for welfare delivery? Neo-liberalism: less state (less taxation), more market, more civil society CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak47

Five Models of the European Welfare State Identification of models/regimes: – Social democratic (state – Nordic countries) – Liberal (market - UK) – Conservative (civil society - Germany) – Rudimentary (Portugal) – Countries/societies in transition: former communist countries (Hungary, Slovakia, etc.) CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak48

For example… Child care in Norway Pensions in Germany Family care in Portugal Changes in Croatia Etc. CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak49

Expenditure on Social Protection (Source: Eurostat, 2009) CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak50

Expenditure on Social Protection (% of GDP) (Source: Eurostat 2009) CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak51 % Sweden32Latvia12.4 France31.5Estonia12.5 Belgium29.7Lithuania13.2 Denmark29.4Romania14.2

Thanks for your attention Questions?? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak52

Questions for discussion What is the future of EU? With regards to demographic change is EU going to invest more energy into social cohesion issues? Should more importance be given to COE? How is Europe going to cope with welfare issues in the future? CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak53

CESRT/ Zuyd University/ Maja Rocak54