Cuardaigh
Transparency and integrity of environmental, social and governance rating activities
The impact assessment uses internal and external expertise and evidence collected from targeted consultations. The problem definition is framed, the IA provides information on the extent of the regulation and the scope of conflicts of interest, the relationship between ESG rating providers and rated companies. The IA considers three options for one specific objective and two options for the other specific objective. Assessment and comparison of the options is made in terms of effectiveness, efficiency ...
Argentina: Outcome of the 2023 elections – Beginning of a new era?
In the run-off election on 19 November 2023, Argentinians elected right-wing populist Javier Milei, aged 53, as the country's new president. Four weeks earlier, on 22 October 2023, general elections had taken place to elect the president, vice-president, members of the national congress and the governors of most provinces. Following the primaries of 13 August 2023, to the great surprise of all experts, anti-establishment candidate Javier Milei, leader and founder of the La Libertad Avanza party, ...
The European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS): A Digital Enforcement Tool for Labour Rights?
The study considers the potential of the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) as a tool for the enforcement of labour and social security rights. It explains the challenges in social security coordination and considers whether the current conceptualisation of ESSPASS can alleviate these problems. To increase ESSPASS’ effectiveness, this report recommends expanding the current scope to include documents pertaining not only social security and health care but also to labour law, notably the national ...
Homelessness in the European Union
This study, commissioned by the Policy Department for Citizens’ Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the Committee on Petitions (PETI), demonstrates the need to change systems that respond to homelessness as an issue of individual dysfunction and inadequacy, to systems that end homelessness. The residential instability felt by the majority of those who are homeless needs to be addressed through the provision of integrated housing, welfare, and health services. Public policy should ...
Social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors
During its November II plenary session, Parliament is expected to vote on a legislative-initiative report on the cultural and creative sectors. The report recommends establishing an EU framework and adopting a directive to bring national approaches closer on various aspects of these sectors, including definitions and social security.
EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors
This European added value assessment (EAVA) supports the European Parliament's legislative initiative 2023/2051(INL) entitled 'EU framework for the social and professional situation of artists and workers in the cultural and creative sectors'. Reviewing the existing legal framework and identifying the gaps, the study explores possible policy options to tackle the problems and looks at why EU action is needed. It analyses the potential impacts of the policy options, also conducting a qualitative and ...
The social impact of public procurement - Can the EU do more?
The aim of this study is to present the possibilities offered by Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement for the achievement of social goals and to analyse how these possibilities have been transposed into national law and implemented by contracting authorities across the EU. Another aim is to identify obstacles to the use of existing provisions and make recommendations with regards to possible future EU action.
Understanding EU action on pensions
People in Europe are living and staying healthy for longer, and this is considered to be one of the great developments of the last hundred years. However, in combination with low birth rates and economic uncertainties, this phenomenon puts into question the future financial sustainability of pension systems and several welfare state parameters. Pension systems are a key element of social protection for older people. They are meant to provide older citizens beyond working age with an income in the ...
Reforming long-term care in the EU
Everybody either needs or has to provide care at some time in their life. The pandemic showed how vital care provision is, and turned health and care workers into heroes. While these workers are no longer applauded daily, the need for them is still there. As Europe's population ages, demand for long-term care in particular is rising, while not enough people are interested in taking up care jobs. This paper looks at actions taken by the EU in relation to long-term care, and highlights some of the ...
Towards gender balance in the European elections: Electoral quotas – What can they achieve?
Gender-balanced representation among the decision-makers of the European Union is an important step towards full realisation of the principle of equality between women and men enshrined in the EU Treaties. The Union has made steady and significant progress, starting from a very low presence of women among EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament at the time when those institutions were created. The European Parliament is today one of the world's most gender-balanced representative ...