This month, Eurofound published its annual Living and Working in Europe Yearbook, providing key research findings on the changing nature of work and life across the EU in 2024. The report explores a range of issues, including labour and skills shortages, poverty, housing, social cohesion, youth, and much more.
Barriers to inclusive labour markets
According to the report, labour and skills shortages, a frequently discussed subject in the European Union, appears to be a structural issue. The European Commission’s Action Plan on addressing labour and skills shortages in the EU identifies engaging underutilized labour groups as a key priority. However, Eurofound findings underline that women with care responsibilities, persons with disabilities and third-country nationals continue to encounter significant barriers to labour market participation. These findings can be confirmed by prior PATHS2INCLUDE [1] research. Their latest working paper found that women with care responsibilities face significant barriers to labour market attachment reflecting the continuing influence of gendered caregiving responsibilities.
COFACE Families Europe has been striving for the reconciliation of work and family life, using a gender transformative approach which provides opportunities for men to care and for women to be economically independent. We will continue to push for the effective implementation by Member States of the EU Work-life Balance Directive, closing the gender gap, and building family-supportive workplaces.
Tackling poverty through social protection
Eurofound also addresses the issue of poverty in their research. They found that, despite inflation beginning to ease and nominal wages continuing to rise in 2024, a large number of families continue to struggle with everyday life. The report states that minimum wages are rising across Europe. However, minimum wage earners have more difficulties in making ends meet, especially when they are in single-person households. This highlights the need to strengthen the social welfare systems as genuine safety nets and to consolidate services for families across different areas of support.
The report indeed highlights social protection as a crucial system in reducing poverty across Europe. Nevertheless, around two-thirds of unemployed people in the EU do not receive these unemployment or minimum income benefits. Reasons for this identified in the report include uneven coverage between Member States, administrative hurdles or being self-employed.
There is a need more than ever to push for inclusive social protection measures and universal family policies which support all families and children in vulnerable situations (including single parent families, large families, migrant families, families with disabilities) in ways which prevent differentiation and social stigma, but measures the intensity of care and support needed.
Housing insecurity
Eurofound also investigated the housing crisis, finding that although low-income earners and vulnerable groups are often hit the hardest, even middle-income households increasingly struggle to secure affordable and stable housing across Europe. Housing is a pillar of family well-being and childhood development, but housing markets are not adapted to family diversity, with some specific families being particularly vulnerable such as families with disabilities.
COFACE believes that housing plays a crucial role in protecting families from poverty and should be central to the new EU Anti-poverty Strategy and the full implementation of the European Child Guarantee. Inclusive, community-based housing is key to preventing institutionalisation, especially for families with disabilities. EU support and a harmonised framework are needed to promote family-friendly housing and address legal and regional disparities.
Key takeaways
Eurofound’s research highlights some of the most pressing challenges faced by families across Europe. These findings must be systematically integrated into the development and implementation of the European Commission’s priorities regarding affordable housing, high-quality jobs and the first EU Anti-Poverty Strategy. COFACE stresses the need for policies that reflect the realities of diverse families, recognizing the diversity of care needs, and promoting social cohesion. Families must be placed at the centre of social and economic policies to ensure that no one is left behind.
The complete Living and Working in Europe Yearbook is available on Eurofound’s website.
[1] PATHS2INCLUDE is a Horizon Europe research project studying determinants of inclusive labour markets, of which COFACE Families Europe is involved as impact partner.
