OsloMet and Social Platform to collaborate on future scenarios for Social Europe

About 50 representatives of European research institutes, universities, labour and civil society organisations from eleven European countries and the European Union are gathering in Oslo 27-28 February to discuss how the social sciences can contribute to delivering Social Europe.

In a new project, “EUROSHIP – Closing gaps in European Social Citizenship”, Social Platform and OsloMet will work together to provide new insights into how the EU can support Member States in working towards ambitious implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

EUROSHIP is a three-year research project funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. EUROSHIP will provide new knowledge about the effectiveness of social protection policies targeted at reducing poverty and social exclusion in Europe. The project involves researchers in Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Through the involvement of national and European stakeholders, Social Platform and OsloMet will develop policy recommendations on how to strengthen social citizenship at national and EU level.

Professor Rune Halvorsen, scientific coordinator of EUROSHIP, says:

“EU social citizenship must become meaningful and have more substantial content for those who are most at risk of poverty and social exclusion. People with low education and income must feel that they have something to gain from being a member of the EU. It is critical that the EU manages to demonstrate its relevance for citizens’ opportunities to live the life they have reasons to want for themselves.”

Kélig Puyet, Director of Social Platform, says:

“The European Pillar of Social Rights is the right tool to deliver better living and working conditions to all people in the EU. Its success hinges on a comprehensive implementation approach encompassing legislation and policies that set minimum social standards, balanced social and economic priorities in the European Semester process as the EU’s framework for socio-economic governance, adequate investment in people at EU and national level as well as the meaningful involvement of civil society organisations. We hope that this project will help to highlight the most effective ways in which this can be achieved.”

The project’s findings will improve the knowledge base necessary to formulate evidence-based and innovative policy options that support the EU and national governments to boost social citizenship for people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

ENDS

Press enquiries

Rune Halvorsen
Scientific Coordinator of EUROSHIP
OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Norway
Tel. +47 67 23 80 78
Email rune.halvorsen@oslomet.no

Helen Joseph
Communications & Media Officer, Social Platform
Tel. +32 (0) 489 77 26 94
Email helen.joseph@socialplatform.org

Download the pdf version here.

Download the Norwegian version here.