The coronavirus has taken a heavy toll on our lives, our economies, our societies but also on electoral processes around the world, with many elections being postponed in order to protect citizens’ health. But this involves a delicate balancing act between ensuring the democratic right to vote and a government’s responsibility to protect public health. So, what can we learn from experience?

EPRS policy podcast - Impact of the pandemic on elections around the world: From safety concerns to political crises

Demography matters… it matters for the economy, for the labour market, for healthcare and pensions, even for election results! But future demographic trends in the EU are not encouraging… No, they’re not! A number of demographic challenges, such as a declining birth rate, an ageing population, and depopulation of some of its regions, threaten the future demographic stability of the continent. So, what are the EU and its member states doing about it?

EPRS policy podcast - Demography on the European agenda: Strategies for tackling demographic decline

The coronavirus crisis has made life even more difficult for the most deprived people in our society… To protect them, as well the workers and volunteers delivering aid to them, and ensure no one falls through the net, the EU has had to take some exceptional measures…

EPRS policy podcast - Impact of coronavirus on EU aid to the most deprived

The coronavirus pandemic forced most of the world’s population into lockdown… But thanks to digital technologies, we were mostly able to keep on working, studying, shopping and chatting with our loved ones without leaving our homes! But the crisis has also highlighted some painful truths about our digital world…

EPRS policy podcast - How digital technology is easing the burden of confinement

The shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic affects everyone. However, there are big differences in the extent of the harm caused, and the long-term development of the pandemic and associated crises are highly uncertain.

Inequalities have been on the rise, particularly in case of certain vulnerable groups, those who remained all the time at work, but often had low income: health workers, grocery store workers, delivery workers, Amazon factory workers, or street cleaners, among others. Lower income individuals run greater health risks, and many of them are women.

Not all work is suited to transition to teleworking. This is particularly the case for precarious workers. Other factors have also contributed to the increase of social divides across generations and regions. Beside the closure of businesses, school closures have put enormous pressure on families. Aspects of this situation may cause lifelong harm, such in the case of the youngest children who might never recuperate the benefits for their personal development and social integration, school children who miss the opportunity to learn foundational lifelong skills, and those secondary school students who were about to take their exams.

The pandemic has also deeply affected quality of life, including mental wellbeing, trust and employment prospects. Finally, many households have been facing the prospect of falling into poverty due to a drop in their income linked to the coronavirus crisis and their limited resources to cope with the financial shocks.

Concrete measures the EU took to support the economic recovery are: the EU's recovery plan, Next Generation EU, SURE: temporary support for workers, amendments to the EU budget to address urgent issues,re-direction of EU funds to help member states most in need, support to most affected sectors

Coronavirus outbreak: impact on social life (2020)

The shock caused by the coronavirus pandemic affects everyone. However, there are big differences in the extent of the harm caused, and the long-term development of the pandemic and associated crises are highly uncertain.

Inequalities have been on the rise, particularly in case of certain vulnerable groups, those who remained all the time at work, but often had low income: health workers, grocery store workers, delivery workers, Amazon factory workers, or street cleaners, among others. Lower income individuals run greater health risks, and many of them are women.

Not all work is suited to transition to teleworking. This is particularly the case for precarious workers. Other factors have also contributed to the increase of social divides across generations and regions. Beside the closure of businesses, school closures have put enormous pressure on families. Aspects of this situation may cause lifelong harm, such in the case of the youngest children who might never recuperate the benefits for their personal development and social integration, school children who miss the opportunity to learn foundational lifelong skills, and those secondary school students who were about to take their exams.

The pandemic has also deeply affected quality of life, including mental wellbeing, trust and employment prospects. Finally, many households have been facing the prospect of falling into poverty due to a drop in their income linked to the coronavirus crisis and their limited resources to cope with the financial shocks.

Concrete measures the EU took to support the economic recovery are: the EU's recovery plan, Next Generation EU, SURE: temporary support for workers, amendments to the EU budget to address urgent issues,re-direction of EU funds to help member states most in need, support to most affected sectors.

Coronavirus outbreak: impact on social life

The EU first unified the summer-time arrangements in 1980, in order to ensure a harmonised approach to time switching within the single market, as until then, national summer-time practices and schedules were diverging. The current summer-time arrangements directive requires Member States to switch to summer-time on the last Sunday of March and back to standard time (informally known as winter-time) on the last Sunday of October. MEPs voted to end the practice of adjusting clocks by an hour in spring and autumn from 2021 on 26/03/2019

The system of bi-annual clock changes has been increasingly questioned, by citizens, by the European Parliament, and by a growing number of Member States. The Commission has, therefore, analysed available evidence, which points to the importance of having harmonised rules in this area to ensure a proper functioning of the internal market. This is also supported by the European Parliament as well as other actors. In February 2020, the TRAN Committee designated Johan Danielsson (S&D, Sweden) as rapporteur.

Seasonal time change

Demographic change can pose a major challenge for the EU. Regions with a rapidly shrinking population are affected by a severe gap in the provision of social services (healthcare, cultural), physical (transport) and ICT connectivity, education and labour opportunities.

Depopulated regions are often low-income rural or post-industrial areas, with fewer job opportunities. The exodus of younger, skilled workers has further affected ageing, generation renewal and agricultural development. The economic crisis of 2008 led to young educated professionals from Southern and Eastern Europe moving to North-Western Europe. The Covid-19 crisis is likely to encourage this trend. Reduced economic activity and unemployment are expected to generate a new wave of migration by young people both within and between EU countries.

The European Parliament wants the demographic challenge to be a priority for the EU, alongside climate issues and the digital transition. A coordinated approach - integrating the principles of sustainability, greening and digitalisation across different EU policies - would also contribute to reversing negative demographic trends.

Demography in the EU

At a conference entitled "Affordable Housing - addressing the housing crisis in the European Union”, the Special committee on the Housing Crisis in the EU launches the debate on the causes of this crisis, how the EU can help EU countries tackle it and what measures could be taken at European level. The event, hosted jointly by Parliament and the Commission gathers experts and representatives of EU institutions, and national and regional authorities.

Affordable Housing conference: Joint conference of the EU Parliament and the EU Commission on the EU Housing Crisis

EP plenary session.- Decent and affordable housing for all

EP plenary session- FEAD: specific measures to address the COVID-19 crisis

EP plenary session- Social and employment crisis in the COVID-19 pandemic and the EU's response in the Recovery Plan and the MFF

A tourist centre is closed in Lisbon downtown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A person uses the free Czech Covid-10 tracker eRouška app on his mobile phone in Prague. With the help of Bluetooth the application detects in a totally anonymous way the other users of the application with whom you have been in close contact and can warn you if you have met an infected person and should consider a quarantine volunteer or consult a health care professional if symptoms occur.

The shadow of a medical worker wearing a protective equipment testing a social worker for Covid-19 is projected on the wall of a nursing house in Prague.

Lockdown situation in Brussels imposed by Belgian authorities to limit the spread of COVID-19 virus - empty streets

A man is using the Covid Tracker App in Kilmainham Hospital (not a medical hospital) in Dublin, Ireland on November 12, 2020 during a level 5 lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), Chair of HOUS, holds a press point following the EP/EC Joint conference "Addressing the housing crisis in the Union".

Press point by Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), Chair of HOUS, following the EP/EC Joint conference "Addressing the housing crisis in the Union"

This high-level conference formally launches both the Special Committee on the Housing Crisis in the European Union (HOUS) and the European Commission's Affordable Housing Dialogue. Following mutual agreement between the institutions, the European Parliament hosts this opening event, with a corresponding closing conference to be hosted by the Commission at a later date to be identified. The opening conference address the full spectrum of topics outlined in both the HOUS Committee's mandate and the Commission's Affordable Housing Dialogue Framework. It will serve as a foundation for gathering evidence that will inform the subsequent consultation process, to be conducted collaboratively between the Parliament, Commission, and other Union’s institutions.

Addressing the housing crisis in the EU: extracts from the EP/EC joint conference and statement by Irene TINAGLI (S&D, IT), HOUS Special Committee Chair

MEPs discuss with the Commission ways to encourage public and private investment in decent and affordable housing in Europe. Ahead of her confirmation as Commission President, Ursula VON DER LEYEN said in a statement before Parliament on 18 July that Europe faces a housing crisis and announced she would appoint a Commissioner to be directly responsible for this issue. Former Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan JØRGENSEN is the Commissioner-designate for Housing and Energy. Closing statement by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of promoting our European Way of Life.

Ensuring sustainable, decent and affordable housing in Europe - encouraging investment, private property and public housing programmes: Closing statement by Margaritis SCHINAS, Vice-President of the European Commission

MEPs discuss with the Commission ways to encourage public and private investment in decent and affordable housing in Europe. Ahead of her confirmation as Commission President, Ursula VON DER LEYEN said in a statement before Parliament on 18 July that Europe faces a housing crisis and announced she would appoint a Commissioner to be directly responsible for this issue. Former Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan JØRGENSEN is the Commissioner-designate for Housing and Energy. Third part of MEPs debate

Ensuring sustainable, decent and affordable housing in Europe - encouraging investment, private property and public housing programmes: MEPs debate (part 3)

MEPs discuss with the Commission ways to encourage public and private investment in decent and affordable housing in Europe. Ahead of her confirmation as Commission President, Ursula VON DER LEYEN said in a statement before Parliament on 18 July that Europe faces a housing crisis and announced she would appoint a Commissioner to be directly responsible for this issue. Former Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan JØRGENSEN is the Commissioner-designate for Housing and Energy. Second part of MEPs debate

Ensuring sustainable, decent and affordable housing in Europe - encouraging investment, private property and public housing programmes: MEPs debate (part 2)

MEPs discuss with the Commission ways to encourage public and private investment in decent and affordable housing in Europe. Ahead of her confirmation as Commission President, Ursula VON DER LEYEN said in a statement before Parliament on 18 July that Europe faces a housing crisis and announced she would appoint a Commissioner to be directly responsible for this issue. Former Danish Minister for Development Cooperation and Global Climate Policy Dan JØRGENSEN is the Commissioner-designate for Housing and Energy. First part of MEPs debate.

Ensuring sustainable, decent and affordable housing in Europe - encouraging investment, private property and public housing programmes: MEPs debate (part 1)

This infoclip shows what the housing sector in Barcelona and Brussels is like. The market for short-term rentals in Spain has been rapidly increasing, mainly due to the expansion of online platforms such as Airbnb. Barcelona is among the top city destinations for tourists booking their accommodation through these online platforms. (Source: Eurostat) While such rentals create benefits for hosts, tourists and many regions, the lack of appropriate rules also contributes to problems such as higher housing prices, over-tourism, and unfair competition. This infoclip also shows a social housing project in Schaerbeek, one of Brussels’ municipalities. Social housing in Belgium is provided by local authorities for people who cannot afford to buy or rent accommodation privately. Because of high house prices, people with low or middle incomes cannot access home ownership. The existing stock of social housing is insufficient to match the growing demand. (Source: OECD)

Infoclip: Housing conditions in Europe

Travel restrictions and border shutdowns generated by the Covid-19 pandemic have impacted our economic and social life. Much work has been done at European level to improve reporting of data on Covid-19, and to better understand when travel restrictions become a necessary part of protecting public health. In the event of a future health emergency, the routines established and the experience gained recently will help improve the management of travel restrictions. Reform of the Schengen Treaty can make it easier to meet future challenges while at the same time making sure that those living in Europe can continue to benefit from free movement. Broader global cooperation and coordination is also important.

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