Please note that this book is no longer available in the market due to the fact that the cooperation betwen Dr. Ioannis Vasileiou and the publishing house Historical Quest has ceased.

For many years, unemployment has been one of the thorniest problems of the European Union. Since the beginning of the global economic and financial crisis, within the Union, high unemployment rates in combination with low investment rates are being constantly observed.

The issue of unemployment, with its various significant extensions and the sectors which are directly connected with this, such as, for example, economic growth, globalization, regional disparities, taxation, education, criminality, labour market reforms, industrial restructuring, immigration, social welfare policies and the role of domestic political institutions, continuously preoccupies every thinking citizen of the Union and mainly young people.

The target of the book is twofold. On the one hand, we try to present in a skilful and as simple as possible manner the actions of the Union in general, in the context of issues concerning employment and social affairs and on the other hand to show that solutions for a more optimistic tomorrow indeed exist, as far as specific conditions take place.

The book consists of the introduction and four more chapters. In Chapter 1, with the title “Economic Crisis, Employment, Growth and Investments: A Brief Analysis”, we attempt to focus on the one hand to the way through which the global economic and financial crisis affected the EU in terms of the three aforementioned branches and on the other hand on the exact content of the employment and social affairs’ sector.

In Chapter 2, the “European Union Funding Programmes for Employment and Social Affairs” are being examined. More specifically, we focus on the European Social Fund, the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived and the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation.

In Chapter 3, with the title “The Main European Union Institutions and Bodies for Employment and Social Affairs”, the role of the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions and the European Investment Bank is being critically analyzed. Moreover, we refer (without further expansion) to specific EU agencies, which play a vital role in terms of issues regarding employment and social affairs.

Finally, in Chapter 4, the most important “Concluding Remarks” are being drawn with the aim of providing the best possible synopsis of the main points of the study. The already achieved targets are being mentioned, the existing problems are being analyzed and the main future prospects are being examined.

This book has been accepted by the National Library of Greece and the Library of the Hellenic Parliament.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1: Economic Crisis, Employment, Growth and Investments: A Brief Analysis

Chapter 2: European Union Funding Programmes for Employment and Social Affairs

Chapter 3: The Main European Union Institutions and Bodies for Employment and Social Affairs

Chapter 4: Concluding Remarks

Bibliography