1. ESS-net ESeG
Elaborating a European socio economic Classication for the ESS
Where we stand

2. The ESSnet ESeG project (reminder)
An ESSnet was launched on October 21st 2011
coordinated by INSEE with the NSIs from Italy, the Czech Republic and Hungary,
in order to elaborate European socioeconomic Groups (ESeG), a socio-economic classification.
until April 2014
Building on previous works
the ESEC prototype ( ) built up by a consortium of researchers for DG Research and its evaluation ( ) by Eurostat
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3. The ESSnet ESeG project: reminder and what’s new
Kick-Off meeting: 14-15th of November 2011
Budapest meeting: 20-21th of February 2011
International Workshop of researchers: 19th of June 2012
Interim report: October 2012
Rome meeting: 17-18th of December 2012
Praha meeting: 19-20th of September 2013
A large consultation, with the 27 NSIs…
2 questionnaires sent and received from the 27 NSIs - MS contexts about Socio economic Classifications: January 2012; - how occupation and economic activity are coded in surveys by MS: May 2012
Presentation of the state of play regarding the prototypes to be tested at Eurostat Workshop on classifications: December 2012, November 2013
…and with researchers and potential users of the classification
- International workshop in Paris in June 2012
- ESAC presentation: 25th of October 2013
Tests : collaborations with other NSIs and research teams
- to test the discriminating power of the prototypes and of the detailed level in a wide set of thematic domains
- coordinated by Csech NSI and Insee (a proposition of method to test has been elaborated at Insee)
- sub-contracted work by research teams is going on in France and in Csech Republic
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4. 3 Prototypes to be tested
Status in employment
Proto 1
Isco08=
Proto 2
Proto 3 Isco08= 1
Managers
employed or self employed
1, 01 2
Professionals 3
Independents
self-employed
3,4,5,6,7,8,9 4
Intermediary group
employed
3, 02
3, 02,41,43, (54&nace=O) 5
Skilled clerks
4, 5, 03
4, 53, 54, 03
03, 42, 44, 53, (54&nace ne O), 6
Skilled blue collars
6, 7, 8
7,8 7
Less skilled workers 9
9,51,52,6
9,51,52,6,8
Managers : They are 13.5 millions : 6.2% of the employed persons in EU27, 70% are employees and 30% self-employed. The self-employed differ greatly from the employed regarding sizefirm, activity and their level of education.
 Professionals : 39.1 million of persons, 18% of the employed persons in UE. 51% work in Non-profit service sector (Nace= Public administration, Education, Human health and social work activities).
Independents : 25.7 millions people : 12% of the employed persons in UE, but 4% in Luxembourg and 31% in Romania. Most have no staff to manage. Low level of education. 64% work in three sectors : Construction, Agriculture and Wholesale and retail trade.
 Intermediary group : 30 millions people in prototypes 1 and 2 and 45 millions in prototype 3. 22% of wage labor for Isco3 only in France, but only 10% in Greece, Portugal, Romania and Bulgaria. They hold stable jobs, significantly qualified. Sometimes they are functions of supervisory.
 Skilled clerks 24% of the employed persons in UE (27 countries) in prototype 1, 15% in prototype 2, 8% in prototype 3.
 Skilled blue collars : 17% of the employed persons in UE in the prototype 1, 10% in the prototype 3. They work mainly in industry and construction.
 Less skilled workers : 9% of the employed persons in the EU (27 countries) in prototype 1, 25% in prototype 3
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5. A more detailed level
A more detailed 2-digit version is also developed
- using more details in ISCO and activity (Nace)
- using other variables (such as the size of the firm)
- in order to offer the possibility of other groupings.
- this will allow to reconcile different points of view and to take into account different national contexts
Constraints for this second level
-In “Self-employed”, we must isolate farmers
-In « Managers », we must isolate self-employed
-In « Less skilled workers », we must isolate Blue collars
- For each class of every prototype:
Until 3 propositions, depending of sector, or Isco, or other variables (like: size of firm for the managers)
(See the note joined)
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6. Ongoing Work ESAC: Tests:
presentation on the 25th of October (30 minutes)
It was short but we had several questions, showing the interest of the members who expect this tool to describe European societies.
Tests:
Insee proposes a method to test the 3 prototypes:
- first, with the LFS
- then, with other variables from other surveys ( SILC, AES)
It consists in analysis (MCA then classification and correlations) to:
-try to find the most discriminating variables (1st exemple with LFS, to describe the characteristics of employment in European society).
-produce a typology of the individuals with the results of the first analysis
-compare the three prototypes with this partition (V of Cramer)
1st results:
-Prototype 3 seems less discriminating than the others for several fields (health, deprivations, working conditions) and in many countries
Tests are ongoing, for the agregative level and also for the detailled level
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7. ESeG is a relevant tool to describe socio-economic facts
ESeG= European socio-economic Groups
Built from the characteristics of the occupation, and based on new tools: Isco2008 ESeG is a real gate to describe many social phenomena,
It is a multidimensionnal classification, not a « pure variable »
to group together individuals with similar economic social and cultural characteristics improving the presentation of social statistics and allowing international comparisons
In European society but also in every country and for comparison.
For instance, unemployment risk, health, homogamy, deprivations and other disparities…can be seen across ESeG.
ESeG is expected :
by several NSIs:
A questionnaire was sent and received from the 27 NSIs to know the European context about Socio economic Classifications
12 NSIs describe a classification, most often based on occupation, Status of employment and qualification
By the researchers, sociologists…(large debates :Bourdieu / Golthorp)
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8. Unemployment risk over 25 years
-In Europe, the average of unemployment rate for people aged 25 years or more is : 4% in the « intermediate group » and 14% for the « less skilled workers »
these rates are
-2% and 8% in Germany,
-13% and 29% in Spain,
-4% and 9% in the United Kingdom.
Source: LFS2011, Eurostat
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9. The prevalence of health problems among the working people aged 50 or more depends according to ESeG
- 34% of the « less skilled workers » aged 50 or more declare a chronic disease
But only 29% among the « managers » and the « professionals » aged 50 or more.
- And, among the « less skilled workers » who have a chronic desease, two-third have some limitations for activity because of this disease.
This is the case of only less than half of the « managers » and « professionals » who have a chronic disease.
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10. Next steps Studies and prototype tests, (WP4 coordinated by CZSO)
theme(s) (data source)
Health (AES, SILC)
Gender segregation (LFS)
Working conditions (EWCS)
Public/private differences (LFS, SILC, AES)
Local environment, Living conditions-poverty (SILC)
Social Mobility, Links : social origin/education (SILC)
Homogamy (LFS)
Housing status, Home ownership (SILC)
Cultural Differences (AES)
 Reports in November 2013
Meeting in Paris (end of January 2014) to decide on the classification
Final report : April 2014
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11. The ESSnet ESeG project
Thank you for your attention !
Insee
18 bd Adolphe-Pinard
75675 Paris Cedex 14
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