Books & Reports

This book examines the variation in high-skilled immigration policies in OECD countries. These countries face economic and social pressures from slowing productivity, ageing populations and pressing labour shortages. To address these inter-related challenges, the potential of the global labour market needs to be harnessed. Countries need to intensify their efforts to attract talented people – the best and the brightest. While some are excelling in this new marketplace, others lag behind. The book explores the reasons for this, analysing the interplay between interests and institutions.

The OECD series Recruiting Immigrant Workers comprises country studies of labour migration policies. Each volume analyses whether migration policy is being used effectively and efficiently to help meet labour needs, without adverse effects on labour markets. It focuses mainly on regulated labour migration movements over which policy has immediate and direct oversight. This particular volume looks at the efficiency of European Union instruments for managing labour migration.

Edited by Fabrizio Bernardi, Department of Political and Social Sciences, European University Institute and Gabriele Ballarino, Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Milan, Italy .

This policy brief highlights recent research findings from the project "FamiliesAndSocieties" on the role of laws and policies in shaping gendered interdependencies in families; the way the "sandwich generation" (those who are likely to raise a child or a grandchild and care for parents at the same time) cares for older parents across countries; transfers in Europe from ageing parents to adult children and vice versa; and, the extent to which the financial crisis has affected intergenerational patterns of family support across households.

The OECD’s dynamic and comprehensive statistical annual showing a wide range of key statistics for its member countries and major additional countries. For each indicator presented, there is explanatory text including a definition, explanation of long-term trends, and references; a table showing the indicator over a significant time span for all countries covered, and graphics showing the key messages contained in the data. Each table is accompanied by a link to an Excel spreadsheet enabling the user to access the data.

The activity rate in the EU has continued its steady increase since 2008, in particular for older people, though not yet for younger people, as highlighted by this edition of the Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review. Employment rate has returned to its pre-crisis level but with a much wider gap between countries, from 55% in Greece to 80% in Estonia, Germany and Sweden. The publication also stresses that permanent and full-time jobs continue to increase, though at a slower pace than in 2014.

This report was prepared by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. It is one of three reports that have been produced to guide the Commission’s deliberations. The central challenge in designing the post-2015 development agenda is to ensure that efforts to improve the quality of life of the present generation are far-reaching, broad and inclusive but do not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The International Handbook on Ageing and Public Policy explores the challenges arising from the ageing of populations across the globe for government, policy makers, the private sector and civil society. It examines various national state approaches to welfare provisions for older people, and highlights alternatives based around the voluntary and third-party sector, families and private initiatives. The Handbook is highly relevant for academics interested in this critical issue, and offers important messages for policy makers and practitioners.

Migration has become a crucial issue for Europe, one that is likely to dominate policy and political agendas for many years to come. Migration is also increasingly presented, both in public and expert discourse, as a challenge requiring coordinated European responses, involving both Member States and the European institutions.

EU Employment and Social Situation Quarterly Review Winter Edition As in previous editions all graphs and related data are downloadable in excel format by clicking on the links provided. A link to a country-specific statistical annex is also provided at the end of the report. Here are some highlights: