A Flash-IT publication series
Policy Snapshots explore links between European Union policy priorities and EU-funded research in Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities (SSH). They highlight correlations among research findings that could prove useful for evidence-based policymaking. Each edition (8 pages) addresses a different policy issue and a separate set of research projects. The documents feature a brief summary of EU policy context followed by syntheses of related research findings. I wrote these publications as a part of the Flash-IT dissemination project.
Inclusive Growth - Social Inequalities
606 KB June 2014
Taking stock of the Europe 2020 growth strategy in early 2014, the European Commission noted that there are now “wide inequalities in the distribution of income in the EU” and that this “increases the difficulty of addressing the challenges faced by Europe’s economies”.
Aware that inequality is a serious and growing problem in Europe and elsewhere, EU-funded researchers are trying to deepen our understanding of its drivers and impacts. Some of their latest findings are presented in Flash-IT’s eighth Policy Snapshot.Featuring results from three EU-funded research projects, PS8 provides insights into:
·
The relationship between employment, income inequality
and poverty (GINI)
·
Helping young people succeed in European labour
markets (WORKABLE)
·
How Europeans cope with economic, legal and political
uncertainty (GUSTO)
Inclusive Growth - Social Innovation 1.8 MB November 2013
Social
innovation has become a hot topic in European policy discussions. But what role
is it playing in the Europe 2020 growth strategy? And can it help counter the
forces of exclusion affecting European youth? Some concise answers are found in
Flash-IT’s seventh Policy Snapshot. PS7 provides concrete
recommendations on:
·
Combating social exclusion among homeless youth
· Increasing educational attainment among young people
from a public care background
·
Enhancing educational opportunities for minority
ethnic youth
·
Supporting inclusion of young adult immigrants
PS7 also provides links to
essential EU documents on social innovation along with a list (including URLs)
of nearly 20 related research projects.
The EU in the World: Global Engagement and Governance 1.9 MB July 2013
Focusing
on issues of vital interest to the EU’s multi-faceted external relations
policy, this Policy Snapshot provides a brief overview of
results from five EU-funded research projects.
Topics include:
·
The EU’s contribution to multilateral organizations
and peace initiatives
·
Perceptions of the EU from abroad
·
Drivers of migration to the EU from Morocco, Senegal,
Turkey and Ukraine
·
How Chinese elites view the EU
Inclusive Growth - Employment 1.7 MB March 2013
A key aspiration of the Europe 2020 Growth Strategy is to produce ‘fresh momentum’ for boosting employment. But given the protracted impact of Europe’s financial and economic crisis, boosting employment will not be easy. In 2012 the EU jobless rate hit an historically high level of 10.7%. This year and next the unemployment rate is forecast to be even higher, hovering around 11%. In order to address the employment challenge, innovative thinking is needed.
Nexus between energy, environment, transport & land use - Sustainable Growth 2 MB December 2012
Sustainability is becoming the ‘holy grail’ of Europe 2020. But our need for it could not be more
urgent or more real. Evidence of Europe’s quest for sustainable development is reflected in the visionary work being carried out in a host of EU-funded SSH research projects. The sustainability insights provided by projects highlighted in this Snapshot offer essential guidance for tackling these challenges and plotting Europe’s future trajectory.
Promoting Peace and Security - The EU in the World
1.1 MB October 2012
In June 2012, European Council President Hermann von Rompuy underscored the importance of peace and security issues for the EU by placing them on the Council’s list of working priorities. Affirming the Council's commitment to address regional conflicts and crisis situations, the president said the body’s Members would put their 'weight behind global efforts to achieve peace and stability'. Research findings highlighted in this Snapshot provide orientation for these efforts.
Demography and Ageing - Inclusive Growth
1.2 MB September 2012
This Policy Snapshot highlights Europe‘s demographic policy concerns in relation to findings from three EU-funded research projects on demography and ageing. The document features policy-relevant recommendations regarding active ageing, fertility sustainment and extended working life. Foregrounding Europe 2020 policy priorities, the Snapshot identifies measures deemed to support the active ageing goal. Moreover, it points to steps that could be helpful in preventing a further decline of Europe's fertility levels.
Intangible Assets and Indicators - Smart Growth 1.4 MB June 2012
This was the inaugural issue of the Policy Snapshot document series. It considers aspects of the EU's Smart Growth priority in relation to selected results from five research projects dealing with the services sector, intangible assets and economic indicators. The Snapshot cites pioneering work on intangibles carried out by the INNODRIVE and COINVEST projects, work that is fundamentally changing the way intangible assets are understood and valued.