an article by Sarah Marchal and Ive Marx (University of Antwerp, Belgium) published in Journal of European Social Policy Volume 28 Issue 1 (February 2018)
Abstract
Governments across the European Union (EU) have been striving to get more people into work while at the same time acknowledging that more needs to be done to ‘make work pay’. Yet this drive comes at a time when structural economic shifts are putting pressure on wages, especially of less skilled workers.
This article focuses on trends in minimum wages, income taxes and work-related benefits within a selection of 15 EU countries, for the period 2001–2012, with three US states included as reference cases. We find evidence for eroding relative minimum wages in various EU countries, yet combined with catch-up growth in the new member states.
We also find that governments counteracted eroding minimum wages through direct income support measures, especially for lone parents. Most prevalent among these were substantial declines in income tax liabilities.
Showing posts with label EU_social_policy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU_social_policy. Show all posts
Monday, 19 March 2018
Friday, 3 March 2017
A New Kid in Town? Active Inclusion Elements in European Minimum Income Schemes
an article by Sarah Marchal and Natascha van Mechelen (University of Antwerp, Belgium) published in Social Policy & Administration Volume 51 Issue 1 (January 2017)
Abstract
This article assesses the current variation in activation strategies directed towards able-bodied persons of working age relying on a minimum income guarantee in 19 EU member states.
First, we argue that the active inclusion notion developed by the European Commission in its Recommendation on the active inclusion of persons excluded from the labour market provides a useful tool to categorize current activation strategies towards minimum income protection (MIP) recipients.
Consequently, we assess the empirical viability of active inclusion strategies in a fuzzy set ideal type analysis of purpose-collected institutional data. We find that there are only few countries where the activation discourse has remained a dead letter. Most countries implement policy measures that aim to discourage benefit dependency among MIP recipients.
Nevertheless, behind the realities of activation strategies towards MIP recipients seldom lies the notion of active inclusion as defined by the European Commission. Particularly, many countries focus predominantly on incentives to increase labour market participation rates of MIP recipients, rather than enabling measures.
Full text (PDF)
Abstract
This article assesses the current variation in activation strategies directed towards able-bodied persons of working age relying on a minimum income guarantee in 19 EU member states.
First, we argue that the active inclusion notion developed by the European Commission in its Recommendation on the active inclusion of persons excluded from the labour market provides a useful tool to categorize current activation strategies towards minimum income protection (MIP) recipients.
Consequently, we assess the empirical viability of active inclusion strategies in a fuzzy set ideal type analysis of purpose-collected institutional data. We find that there are only few countries where the activation discourse has remained a dead letter. Most countries implement policy measures that aim to discourage benefit dependency among MIP recipients.
Nevertheless, behind the realities of activation strategies towards MIP recipients seldom lies the notion of active inclusion as defined by the European Commission. Particularly, many countries focus predominantly on incentives to increase labour market participation rates of MIP recipients, rather than enabling measures.
Full text (PDF)
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