EMPLOYMENT : POVERTY AND JOBLESSNESS INCREASE IN EU.

The number of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU now accounts for nearly one-fourth of the EU population, according to the EU Employment and social situation quarterly review', which was published on 11 January. The review analyses short-term changes in terms of growth, employment and social inclusion in the 27 member states. It confirms the alarming conclusions of the annual report on the evolution of employment and social developments in Europe, published on 8 January.

According to the latest issue of the review, the EU's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by 0.5% over the year. The economic activity of more than half of the member states continued to decline, slowing down significantly in Romania, the Netherlands, Finland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, unemployment continued to rise in the EU over the last few months (+15.7% since March 2011), reaching a record high in November 2012. The most significant drops in employment levels between 2011 and 2012 were recorded in Greece (-8.9%), Lithuania (-5.5%), Spain and Portugal (both -4.1%); barely compensated by increases Latvia (+3.4%), Luxembourg, the UK, Malta and Estonia (+2.1% to +1.2%).

Owing to - inter alia - the very difficult labour market situation, the number of Europeans at risk of poverty or social exclusion increased by six million between 2008 and 2011, now affecting 24.2 % of the population. The most affected group consists in working-age...