Publication | Open Access
Indicators and Targets for Social Inclusion in the European Union
41
Citations
0
References
2004
Year
European LawSocial IndicatorEducationEuropean Union LawSocial IntegrationSocial ExclusionSocial StratificationSocial InclusionPolicy AnalysisSocial SciencesEu Social PolicyEuropean PoliticsEuropean Community LawSocial IdentityPublic PolicyInclusive GrowthEconomic EmpowermentSocial ImpactSocial Inclusion ProcessEuropean UnionEuropean IssueSocial BenefitsPolicy StudiesSociologySocial Policy
In December 2001 the Laeken European Council adopted a set of commonly agreed social‑inclusion indicators that should monitor Member States’ progress toward EU objectives set by the Nice European Council in 2000, marking a major step forward in EU social policy development. The article reviews the scientific and political basis for selecting these indicators and their implications for future EU policy‑making, and investigates key issues in setting quantitative targets for social inclusion. It describes the key features of the indicators and outlines ways they can be further developed.
Abstract In December 2001, the Laeken European Council adopted a set of commonly agreed and defined indicators for social inclusion. These should play a central role in monitoring the performance of Member States in making progress towards the key EU objectives in this area set by the Nice European Council in 2000, and represent a major step forward in the development of EU social policy. This article reviews the scientific and political basis on which the indicators were selected, and the implications for the future development of policy‐making in Europe. It describes the key features of the indicators and some of the ways in which they can be developed. Finally, it investigates some important issues that need to be addressed when setting quantitative targets in the context of the social inclusion process.