Contributing evidence to public debate

From Eurofound News July/August 2016

Last month’s referendum resulting in the UK’s decision to leave the EU has left policymakers on both sides of the English Channel seeking greater clarity, and not just regarding the UK’s future relationship with Europe.

Post-referendum analysis has highlighted public concerns on a range of issues central to the European policy agenda – migration, labour mobility, economic inequality, deprivation, divergence between Member States, and restructuring. These are key areas of Eurofound expertise, regarding which the Agency has been delivering knowledge based on rigorous data to decision-makers at the EU and national levels for over 40 years. One recent example of Eurofound’s contributions is the 2015 report Social dimension of intra-EU mobility: Impact on public services. In the report, Eurofound presents data to inform a debate influenced as much, if not more, by perception as by evidence. As Europe enters a new period of reflection, such knowledge is of even greater importance to the EU in order to deliver better living and working conditions for its citizens.

For Eurofound’s official statement on the referendum result, visit http://bit.ly/BrexitStatement.