2024Some areas saw ongoing progress, such as working arrangements favouring the work-life balance. However, the housing crisis has intensified, and energy poverty is on the rise. Non-European migrants are increasingly marginalised and excluded from essential services. Mismatches between skills and the labour market hamper the green transition.
Country score: 66
Albania has made notable progress in several critical areas, including education, healthcare, and social protection. However, challenges remain in achieving equal opportunities, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women, minorities, and people with disabilities.
Country score: 40
Belgium has made significant strides in housing, healthcare, and the fight against poverty. The country grapples with persistent disparities in employment, particularly affecting migrant women and minority groups. Access to housing and energy poverty remain prominent challenges.
Country score: 52
The country has made notable advances in gender equality, rising in the EU rankings. Migration management remains a challenge, with large numbers of Ukrainian refugees being integrated into social services. Youth unemployment has risen sharply and unaffordable healthcare and energy poverty continue to burden vulnerable groups.
Country score: 43
While there has been a notable increase in foreign labour, inclusion policies remain inadequate to proper inclusion. Slow wage growth combined with unaffordable housing and widespread energy poverty hamper economic justice. Healthcare and civic space are two areas where improvements are needed.
Country score: 41
Budget cuts to education and employment, combined with new immigration laws, threaten social rights. The erosion of civic space and rising poverty are a big threat to social justice and fundamental rights. Progress in areas such as sustainable mobility is overshadowed by the rising cost of and unequal access to transport.
Country score: 50
Germany has made some advances in gender equality, education, and social protection but has also faced notable challenges with persistent gender disparities, a housing shortage, and inclusivity issues for migrants and vulnerable groups. Germany’s ambitious green transition goals were not always combined with social objectives.
Country score: 40
Greece faces significant societal challenges, particularly in housing, healthcare, and poverty eradication. And new labour laws have raised concerns about work-life balance and workers’ rights. In addition, limited progress has been made in the green transition and sustainable mobility.
Country score: 8
Italy has made strides in renewable energy adoption and digitalization; however, the country still faces significant social challenges, including persistent gender inequality, high youth unemployment, and increasing job insecurity. Migrants and minorities continue to experience systemic marginalization, and civic freedoms are under pressure.
Country score: 52
North Macedonia is facing opposition to the implementation of gender equality laws, and improvements are needed in education oversight, energy policies, and access to healthcare. In addition, recent funding decisions have strained the relationship between the government and civil society organisations.
Country score: 40
Portugal faces significant challenges in housing, healthcare, and social inclusion. Access to housing has been jeopardized by rising poverty and inadequate support for vulnerable groups including migrants. Healthcare is strained due to poor working conditions. Civil dialogue remains weak which hinders progress in the highlighted social issues.
Country score: 50
The country has made notable progress in OHS and in the green transition, but challenges remain in enforcing labour rights and fair working conditions. Housing, gender equality and youth unemployment continue to be problematic. Despite some improvements in healthcare, access remains uneven. Civic space is increasingly restricted.
Country score: 67
Spain has made significant progress with respect to gender equality thanks to positive parental leave measures, but the pay gap remains an issue. Wage levels have improved thanks to labour reforms and collective bargaining, but poverty and social exclusion persist. Healthcare continues to be a critical issue, especially for vulnerable groups.
Advocacy Point
01
Ensure adequate funding for public education at national level and prioritise the development of curricula for essential transversal competences, beyond labour market participation, including Global Citizenship Education.
Advocacy Point
02
Ensure that all migrants, including refugees, asylum seekers and people in an irregular status, are included in society by supporting their integration into the labour market, access to healthcare, education including Global Citizenship Education, and all essential services by eliminating the specific barriers they face.
Advocacy Point
03
Ensure an ambitious implementation of the adequate minimum wage directive in the wake of the deadline for its transposition at national level. Monitor the regular revision of the adequacy thresholds in the light of inflation.
Advocacy Point
04
Strengthen social dialogue also in candidate countries, as a fundamental instrument to ensure that the social acquis is successfully integrated in these countries’ legislation.
Advocacy Point
05
Take advantage of the review of the European Labour Authority (ELA)s performance to increase the support to national labour authorities to carry out inspections. Ensure that ELA leads the way also for candidate countries in protecting fair working conditions.
Advocacy Point
06
Make access to affordable, sustainable and decent housing a high priority by increasing investment in social housing solutions, controlling rental prices and regulating the touristic accommodation sector and its disastrous impact on housing affordability for residents.
Advocacy Point
07
Ensure that the announced Affordable Housing Plan connects housing unaffordability and homelessness, tackling the root causes of both in a holistic way.
Advocacy Point
08
Achieve universal access to healthcare by stimulating investment in public healthcare services and discouraging dispersion of resources towards the private sector. Employ these funds also to substantially improve working conditions of healthcare workers.
Advocacy Point
09
Put forward a comprehensive EU Anti-Poverty Strategy that prioritises adequacy of minimum income scheme including through the introduction of an adequate minimum income directive.
Advocacy Point
10
Introduce a European strategy for civil society to ensure an enabling environment characterised by fundamental freedoms, protection mechanisms and ensure adequate, accessible and sustainable funding.
Advocacy Point
11
Conclude an EU inter-institutional agreement to promote meaningful and structural civil dialogue. Ensure that the proposed EU Civil Society Platform is a first step in this direction for all policy areas, and it is developed through collaboration with civil society organisations.
Advocacy Point
12
The involvement of CSOs in the negotiations for the accession to the EU in candidate countries is an essential element for a rights-based and democratic enlargement of the EU. Make it compulsory for candidate countries to meaningfully involve CSOs in national policymaking in the framework of their accession process.
Advocacy Point
13
Address the consumption-side of energy poverty by introducing measures that put caps on energy bills and support groups in vulnerable situations to access (clean) energy.
Advocacy Point
14
Lead the way to make accessible sustainable mobility a reality for all in the EU through adequate investment in infrastructure and affordability measures.
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Ensure adequate funding for public education at national level and prioritise the development of curricula for essential transversal competences, beyond labour market participation, including Global Citizenship Education.
Ensure that all migrants, including refugees, asylum seekers and people in an irregular status, are included in society by supporting their integration into the labour market, access to healthcare, education including Global Citizenship Education, and all essential services by eliminating the specific barriers they face.
Ensure an ambitious implementation of the adequate minimum wage directive in the wake of the deadline for its transposition at national level. Monitor the regular revision of the adequacy thresholds in the light of inflation.
Strengthen social dialogue also in candidate countries, as a fundamental instrument to ensure that the social acquis is successfully integrated in these countries’ legislation.
Take advantage of the review of the European Labour Authority (ELA)s performance to increase the support to national labour authorities to carry out inspections. Ensure that ELA leads the way also for candidate countries in protecting fair working conditions.
Make access to affordable, sustainable and decent housing a high priority by increasing investment in social housing solutions, controlling rental prices and regulating the touristic accommodation sector and its disastrous impact on housing affordability for residents.
Ensure that the announced Affordable Housing Plan connects housing unaffordability and homelessness, tackling the root causes of both in a holistic way.
Achieve universal access to healthcare by stimulating investment in public healthcare services and discouraging dispersion of resources towards the private sector. Employ these funds also to substantially improve working conditions of healthcare workers.
Put forward a comprehensive EU Anti-Poverty Strategy that prioritises adequacy of minimum income scheme including through the introduction of an adequate minimum income directive.
Introduce a European strategy for civil society to ensure an enabling environment characterised by fundamental freedoms, protection mechanisms and ensure adequate, accessible and sustainable funding.
Conclude an EU inter-institutional agreement to promote meaningful and structural civil dialogue. Ensure that the proposed EU Civil Society Platform is a first step in this direction for all policy areas, and it is developed through collaboration with civil society organisations.
The involvement of CSOs in the negotiations for the accession to the EU in candidate countries is an essential element for a rights-based and democratic enlargement of the EU. Make it compulsory for candidate countries to meaningfully involve CSOs in national policymaking in the framework of their accession process.
Address the consumption-side of energy poverty by introducing measures that put caps on energy bills and support groups in vulnerable situations to access (clean) energy.
Lead the way to make accessible sustainable mobility a reality for all in the EU through adequate investment in infrastructure and affordability measures.