2nd meeting of the 'Social Europe' High-Level Group: A holistic approach to Europe's social problems, Brussel - Hoofdinhoud

A contribution towards taking the “social” dimension of the EU out of the “specialists-only” corner, and an effort to grab the attention of the wider policymaking community to put social issues higher on the overall policy agenda needs to be made. In other words, a more holistic approach has to be taken towards Europe’s social problems, and Friends of Europe thinks it’s high time to initiate such an activity.

By building on available studies and research, with a high-level group of authoritative and representative voices - comprised of social partners and independent experts - and with the support of high profile political actors, we intend to come to a valuable set of recommendations culminating in an agenda setting report for the incoming European Parliament and Commission on the way ahead for European countries’ social issues.

The working group has been launched on 28 January 2014 and is chaired by Frank Vandenbroucke, Friends of Europe’s Trustee, Professor at the University of Leuven, Antwerp and Amsterdam, former Deputy Prime Minister of Belgium and Minister for Employment, Pensions and Social Affairs.

Members of the Working Group include, amongst others Tony Atkinson, Fabrizio Barca, Christopher Pissarides, Anna Diamantopoulou, Pascal Lamy, Reiner Hoffmann, Sony Kapoor, Aart De Geus, Conny Reuter, Rhodri Morgan, Dimitris Tsigos and Freek Spinnewijn. See the full list of members here.