Johannes Kepler Universität Linz

Social protection systems in Europe – benefits and services

A comparison between Spain and Austria

Gerald Seibold

Table of Contents

Introduction ... 4

1. European activities for social safeguard ... 5

1.1 Charta of Fundamental Rights: social safeguard related content ... 6

2. Typologies of welfare states ... 8

2.1 Conservative-corporatist welfare states ... 12
2.2 Social democratic welfare states ... 13
2.3 The Mediterranean Model ... 14
2.4 The Anglo-Saxon Welfare state ... 15

3. Organization and sourcing of the Welfare State in Spain and Britain ... 17

3.1 Spain ... 17
3.2 Austria ... 19

4. Comparison of benefits: Austria – Spain ... 21

4.2 Developments of Social Safeguard and consequences for addressees ... 29
    Spain ... 29
    Austria ... 33

Summary ... 38

Literature ... 40

Introduction

Social safeguard is a base to the European system of welfare states. The first section of this work thus will shortly figure out the claims of the EU concerning national and international welfare and standards of social security demanded from its member states. The second chapter will introduce Esping-Andersens typology of welfare states and similar typologies like those of Abrahamson, Leibfried and Kleinmann will also be introduced. Chapter three will shortly figure out the financial and functional systems of the national social welfare programs of Spain and Austria to proceed with a description of the social welfare services. In chapter 4 aid money programs for unemployment, pensions, basic social care, mother-/fatherhood and health care will (i.e. as a single mother) be scrutinized in detail. The second part of chapter 4 will focus changes and reforms in these countries concerning the social systems within the last years with respect to the living conditions of its addressees.

1. European activities for social safeguard

In 1989 the EU passed the Social Charta to define social rights of employees. Twelve chapters codified the rights of employees which ranged from occupational freedom, equal opportunities for men and women, employee participation to integration of handicapped persons. In 2000, a convent consisting of representatives from the fifteen national member parliaments as well as of parliamentarians from the European Parliament fundamental defined social principles within the Charta of Fundamental Rights which was proclaimed in Nice on December 7th 2000. The Charta divides into 54 articles and seven chapters defining subsections as the following: human dignity, civic liberties, equality, solidarity, civil rights, judicial rights and general regulations. Just like the Social Charta the Charta of Fundamental Rights still lacks of legal obligation, since both are part of the European Constitution, which has not yet been ratified by all member countries. Nevertheless it has to be kept in mind that these constitutions sum up policies that have been stipulated in several European laws. In the next chapter the core policies concerning social safeguard within the Charta of Fundamental Rights will be correspondingly but in summary illustrated.

1.1 Charta of Fundamental Rights: social safeguard related content

Article 15: European citizens are free to choose their vocational education in any of the EU member states. They are also free to run for a job and make a living in any of the member states. Members of third countries have the right to work under the same conditions and for the same wages as citizens of the EU.
Chapter 21 (1): Discrimination due to gender, race, colour of skin, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion of world view, political or other opinion, membership of national minority, wealth, birth, handicap, age or sexual orientation are forbidden.
Article 26: The European Union approves the claims of handicapped people for warranty of independence, social and occupational integration and partition in social life.
Article 29: Every person has the right for cost free services of employment exchange.
Article 31 (2): Every employee has the right for restriction of maximal labour time, daily or weekly off-time as well as annual vacation with pay.
Article 33 (2): To conciliate work and family life, every person has the right for protection from discharge in connection with maternity as well as demands for maternity and family leave with pay after birth or adoption.
Article 34 (1): The EU recognises and respects the right to grant services of social safeguard and services in cases of maternity, illness, accident at work, requirement for personal care, age, discharge according to EU and state laws.
(3): To fight against social exclusion and poverty the EU recognises and respects the right for social support for accommodation to guarantee humane existence according to EU and state laws.
Chapter VII
Article 51(1): Within this chapter dealing with general regulations it is emphasized that all regulations of the charta underlie the subsidiarity principle and only concern European laws.¹

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1 Sozial-Kompass Europa, S. 6f