Social services
as drivers of the European economy
Concetta Cultrera
European Commission
DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
Unit E4, Social Protection and Social Services
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Today’s presentation
 The role of social services in the European societies
 The importance of social services in the European
economy / the working conditions in the sector
 The growing demand for social services
 Expenditure on social services
 The strategy of the Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Social services: what do we mean?
– Statutory and complementary social security schemes,
organised in various ways and covering the main risks of life
(linked to health, ageing, occupational accidents, unemployment,
disabilities…)
– Services to the person (social assistance services; employment
and training services, social housing, child care, long-term
care…)
 role of prevention and social cohesion, facilitating social
inclusion and safeguarding fundamental rights
 often considered by public authorities as being services of
general interest
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Employment rate in health and social services
20.0
18.0
16.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
ro
lv
cy
bg
gr
ee
pl
si
es
sk
lt
hu
cz
it
pt
mt
at
eu
ea
lu
ie
eu15
de
uk
be
fr
fi
nl
se
0.0
dk
% of total employment
14.0
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Trend of employment in health and social services
11.0
10.5
eu15
% of total employment
eu27
10.0
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Change in the employment rate (2000-2007)
10.0
Rest of the economy
Health and social work
9.0
8.0
Percentage points
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
eu15
eu27
Total
eu15
eu27
Women
eu15
eu27
Older workers
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Skill levels and working patterns
45.0
Total Economy
Health & Social services
40.0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Low-skilled
High-skilled
Shift Work
Night Work
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Wage evolution (1995-2005)
28.00 €
Total non-market services
Total economy
Health and social work
Total market services
26.00 €
Average gross hourly earnings
24.00 €
22.00 €
20.00 €
18.00 €
16.00 €
14.00 €
12.00 €
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Population over the age of 65 and 80 in 2008 and 2060
25
2060 population 80+
2060 population 65+
2008 population 80+
2008 population 65+
millions
20
15
10
5
0
DE IT UK FR ES PL RO NL GR PT BE CZ SE HU AT BG IE SK FI DK LT SI LV EE CY LU MT
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Expenditure in benefits in kind
14
Other social services
12
Health services
8
6
4
2
pl
ee
ro
bg
lv
it
cy
cz
si
sk
lt
pt
mt
ie
be
lu
es
at
de
hu
fr
eu27
eu15
gr
uk
nl
fi
dk
0
se
% of GDP
10
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
Employment in health and social services vs. social
protection benefits
Social protection excl. pensions as % of GDP
25
se
20
dk
15
at
eu
be
fr
de
fi
nl
uk
hu
es
gr
it
cy
10
ro
sk
pl
pt
si
ee
lu
ie
cz
mt
lt
lv bg
5
0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Employment rate in health and social work
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
The Commission strategy towards social services
• Enhancing legal certainty





the FAQ documents
the IIS
the Spiegel group
the evaluation of the SGEI package
the training initiative
• Promoting social services quality
 the PROGRESS projects
 the EU Quality framework
… and a new call for tender for a study on social services
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission
•Questions?
concetta.cultrera@ec.europa.eu
do not forget the IIS !!
http://ec.europa.eu/services_general_interest/regis
tration/form_en.html
•More information?
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/spsi/ssgi_en.htm
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities ─ Unit
European Commission