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Resolution 2068 (2015)
Towards a new European Social Model
1. The European Social Model is an
evolving set of principles and policies responding to the aspirations and
will of the peoples of Europe as expressed by democratic votes.
It is inextricably interwoven with the process of closer European
unity developed after the Second World War, as embodied in the Council
of Europe and the European Union, which share the same commitment
to the values of human dignity, individual freedom, social solidarity,
political liberty and the rule of law that form the basis of all
genuine democracy.
2. While the characteristics of the European Social Model have
evolved in very different ways from country to country, its contribution
to economic and social progress came to be identified as an integral
part of Europe’s identity and has become a reference for countries
previously subjected to authoritarian regimes.
3. Developed in western Europe in a period of rapid economic
and demographic growth, the European Social Model started to be
challenged in the 1970s as a result of accelerated globalisation,
off-shoring of manufacturing, the impact of new information technologies
in all economic and social spheres, the ageing of the population,
the transformation of family structures and lifestyles, increased
migration flows and the break-up of a minimum of political consensus
following the collapse of communist regimes in central and eastern Europe.
4. As noted by different international organisations such as
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
and the International Labour Organization (ILO), these challenges
have gone hand in hand, particularly in recent years, with rising
social and economic inequalities, corruption and large-scale phenomena
of tax evasion and fraud, putting into question social cohesion
and threatening political stability in a number of countries. The
austerity measures implemented in many European countries following
the 2008 financial crisis compounded some of the existing problems.
5. Facing such trends, the Parliamentary Assembly notably regrets
the continuous deterioration of employment and working conditions,
young people’s difficulties in accessing the labour market, the
weakening of collective bargaining procedures and agreements, and
the reduction of the scope and quality of public services, including
for the most vulnerable (children, ethnic minorities, migrants or
people with disabilities).
6. In this respect, the Parliamentary Assembly recalls some of
its resolutions on these matters, such as Resolution 1885 (2012) on the young
generation sacrificed: social, economic and political implications
of the financial crisis, Resolution
1993 (2014) on decent work for all, Resolution 2032 (2015) on equality
and the crisis and Resolution
2033 (2015) on the protection of the right to bargain
collectively, including the right to strike. The Assembly considers
that high standards should be maintained particularly regarding
decent employment and working conditions for all, universal and
sustainable social protection systems, inclusive labour markets, well-functioning
social dialogue at various levels and quality public services. Furthermore,
social cohesion and solidarity should be promoted as transversal
values underpinning political action.
7. However, to be meaningful in the future, the European Social
Model should not only counterbalance market dysfunctions and insufficiencies,
but also promote new approaches to education and training, social and
economic participation, environmental sustainability, as well as
new forms of public service delivery using new technologies and
taking into account changes in family structures and lifestyles.
A new European Social Model should not only be a safety net but
also positively contribute to wealth creation through social investment.
8. In the light of these considerations, the Assembly calls on
member States of the Council of Europe to take the following measures:
8.1. as regards social rights in
general:
8.1.1. ensure the compatibility of new policy measures
with individual and collective social rights, in particular by consulting
in advance national human rights institutions;
8.1.2. strengthen the implementation of social rights by reinforcing
supervisory mechanisms, including by ratifying the Amending Protocol
of 1991 to the European Social Charter on reforming the supervisory
mechanism (ETS No. 142, “Turin Protocol”) and its Additional Protocol
of 1995 providing for a system of collective complaints (ETS No. 158);
8.2. as regards national socio-economic policies, promote non-discriminatory
access to the labour market and decent employment conditions for
all, as well as:
8.2.1. developing and implementing comprehensive
strategies against child poverty;
8.2.2. developing and implementing strategies in favour of youth
employment, notably addressing the current difficulties faced by
young people in accessing the labour market;
8.2.3. continuing to empower women and to integrate them into
the labour market through the provision of affordable, reliable
and high-quality childcare services;
8.2.4. implementing innovative ways for continuous employment
of elderly people in an ageing society (for example, through part-time
work, mentorship, etc.);
8.2.5. developing and implementing specific employment strategies
for the inclusion of groups which are regularly subject to discrimination
(ethnic minorities, migrants, disabled people);
8.2.6. providing incentives or directly investing in new activities
for increased job creation (in sectors such as renewable energies,
digital technology infrastructures and innovative health and social
services);
8.3. as regards national educational and training policies:
8.3.1. develop educational policies and systems aimed at creating
equal opportunities from an early age (to break “cycles of disadvantage”
through early intervention) and include strategies for lifelong
learning;
8.3.2. ensure initial and continuous professional training in
line with the latest “state-of-the-art” technological progress (digital
technologies, biotechnologies, etc.);
8.3.3. strengthen education systems which have proved successful
in certain national contexts (for example, “dual systems” combining
training “on the job” and theoretical teaching);
8.3.4. orient young people in their transition between education
systems and the labour market to overcome mismatches between existing
profiles and available jobs, and encourage entrepreneurship;
8.4. as regards fiscal legislation and taxation policies:
8.4.1. strengthen the redistributive effects of taxation systems
through relevant reforms (particularly through reassessing taxes
on property and wealth and taxes on financial transactions);
8.4.2. improve tax compliance by fighting tax evasion and the
use of tax havens, and redirect the revenues to social and economic
investments, thus creating quality employment opportunities;
8.5. as regards social protection systems and social benefits:
8.5.1. improve the sustainability of social protection systems,
including by ensuring that social benefits are provided in a targeted
manner;
8.5.2. guarantee good governance of social benefit systems and
fight any form of corruption to maximise the redistributive effects
of these systems;
8.6. as regards public services and investment:
8.6.1. put
an end to current austerity policies and develop more sustainable
measures as a way out of the enduring crisis, including by redirecting
savings resulting from other measures to “social investment” policies
with an emphasis on new types of infrastructure and services (including
renewable energies, digital technologies and innovative health care
and prevention);
8.6.2. modernise the provision of public services using new digital
technologies, developing citizens’ capacities in this respect and
decentralising policy making, while ensuring universal access to
these services;
8.6.3. support local and regional authorities in fulfilling their
respective responsibilities in terms of public services provided
to their citizens.