Poverty and employment in Europe

5 years after hitting Europe, the economic crisis is far from over. Many of Europe’s economies are still showing no signs of recovery, while the progress made by countries that do show signs of economic growth, like Romania, is in many cases insignificant. The economic crisis has also led to an increase in poverty rates across the Union, as indicated in a European Commission report on the social situation and employment in the European Union in 2013.

Florentin Căpitănescu, 22.01.2014, 13:47

5 years after hitting Europe, the economic crisis is far from over. Many of Europe’s economies are still showing no signs of recovery, while the progress made by countries that do show signs of economic growth, like Romania, is in many cases insignificant. The economic crisis has also led to an increase in poverty rates across the Union, as indicated in a European Commission report on the social situation and employment in the European Union in 2013.

One aspect of poverty, namely unemployment, which has reached alarming levels in EU member states such as Spain, has been a constant concern for Brussels. At the presentation of the aforementioned report, the European commissioner responsible for social affairs, Laszlo Andor, said what’s important is not only job creation, but also job quality, which includes the type of work, salary, the number of working hours and family situation, said Andor.

In Romania’s case, the European Commission report writes that the risk of poverty and social exclusion in the below-18 age category saw the highest increase, to 52% in 2012 compared to 2011. Also in 2012, the number of people in the 15-62 age bracket also increased by up to 40%. The number of Romanians with part-time jobs saw a slight decrease.

Looking at the different economic sectors, the number of employees working in industrial sectors and services dropped by 0.2%, while the number of people working in agriculture, an area with a huge but as yet untapped potential, has increased by 0.4%. The unemployment rate, which has not reached alarming levels, dropped from 7.4 to 7%.

Although most Romanians do have a job, they are badly paid. This explains why millions of Romanian citizens are looking for jobs in more developed states in the European Union.