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Europeans need to fight two viruses, simultaneously and equally vehemently: the new coronavirus, a biological virus attacking our bodies, and the political virus which is attacking our fundamental rights and our democracies. The diverging responses to the COVID-19 crisis by the governments of different EU countries powerfully highlight how authoritarianism rhymes...
Even though the intentions from the EU Commission for a European Minimum Wageare noble and well-intentioned, the consequences for the Nordic labour market models can be far-reaching. Based on past experiences, the opposition is therefore well-founded. I am the proud owner of an old Swedish sailboat with an equally old Swedish...
A few months ago, the new European Commission boldly announced its plans to deliver an EU minimum wage legal measure within its first 100 days in office. The COVID-19 crisis is likely to affect not only the schedule of this high-profile initiative, but the very political appetite for it. Yet,...
The EU’s new gender strategy finally puts care work more solidly at the centre of our economic activity. ‘At a snail’s pace.’ That was the conclusion of the latest Gender Equality Index, which measures and compares the progress on gender equality in the European Union. The pay gap still stands at...
In January 2020, the European Commission launched a formal consultation of social partners in view of proposing an EU “framework” ensuring “fair minimum wages” across the EU. The proposal instantly triggered vivid protest, notably from Scandinavian unions. While no one can underestimate the difficulties involved the conception of a legitimate and...
The first phase of the battle against the coronavirus is getting close to its end. However, as John Maynard Keynes warned, it is not enough to win the war but we need to win the peace too. Already before the current one, Europe was facing a multiplicity of crises, each...
Reconciling Freedom of Movement and Social Cohesion in the European Health Sectors Can we preserve freedom of movement in the European Union (EU) and ensure at the same time that those who “stay home” are not left behind? Or, more precisely, can we ensure that the mobility of health professionals...
The coronavirus crisis starkly highlights the true value of care work, its gendered and regionalised nature, and the scarcity of its supply in an economy which fails to recognise these factors. On 26 March, only a couple of weeks into the introduction of border closures across the EU in attempt...
The cross-border spread of the coronavirus and its global threat perfectly illustrate that there are challenges that can only be addressed as a community that stands united. In some Member States of the European Union, there is a trend of anti-EU outbursts, a forced emphasis on the independence of Member...
The persistent gender pay gap is increasingly difficult to explain. In the past, it was mostly due to women’s lower educational qualifications and shorter work experience. Today however, only about a third of the gap is due to women working in lower paid occupations or sectors. As knowledge is empowering,...