Policy Hub
Use this section for access to organisations, resources and tools to help you find evidence on social and economic issues in Europe.
Active Social Policies European Network (ASPEN) - Netherlands-based portal with links to key government databases, research institutes etc
CELEX - Access to EU law
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) - aims to produce policy research leading to constructive solutions to the challenges facing Europe.
Community Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS) - offers access to a wide range of information on European Union (EU) research and innovation development activities.
Council for European Social Science Data Archives - CESSDA
Council of Europe (COE) - work programme includes the following fields of activity: human rights, media, legal co-operation, social cohesion, health, education, culture, heritage, sport, youth, local democracy and transfrontier co-operation, the environment and regional planning.
ESPANet (the Network for European Social Policy Analysis) has been established to facilitate exchange and co-operation among social policy analysts in Europe and to provide a forum and network of communication for the development of European social policy analysis as a field of research and teaching. It encourages the international dissemination and exchange of information on significant developments relevant to European social policy and facilitates and promotes international research in this field.
EUDOR - On-line document delivery
EUROBAROMETER - Public Opinion Research
Euroguide - subject gateway to websites which contain information about the European Union, designed to help you find your way to authoritative sources of European Union information on the web. Initially, the guide offers access by 60 subject categories, which have been chosen to represent the terms generally used, rather than 'Eurojargon'.
Europa - the portal site of the European Union. It provides up-to-date coverage of European Union affairs and essential information on European integration.
European Centre for Analysis in the Social Sciences - ECASS
European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research
European Commission Library Catalogue - ECLAS
European Commission Research - provides information about the research areas, policies and activities promoted by the European Union.
European Current Research Information Systems
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions - role is to provide findings, knowledge and advice from comparative research managed in a European perspective, which respond to the needs of the key parties at European Union level.
European Governance: a white paper (178kb) (Commission of the European Communities, 2001.COM 2001 (428)) proposes important changes to ensure that EU policy making is more inclusive and cross-cutting and linked to long-term objectives. It also emphasises that regional and local knowledge need to be taken into account through more effective dialogue with appropriate institutions.
The European Information Society Group (EURIM) is the all-party, pan-industry 'lobby' where the politics of the Information Society and E-Commerce are discussed across political, organisational and national boundaries prior to public debate. EURIM's objective is to identify consensus not just compromise. EURIM looks for ways forward which will still look reasonable when we look back in five or ten years.
The European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA) was created in 1981, and is supported by the administrations of the Member States of the European Union (EU) and the European Commission. It is primarily concerned with programmes aimed at improving the understanding of EU processes and policies, developing the capacities of the administrations of the Member States to cope with European integration, and assisting the development of cooperation between these administrations.
European Social Welfare Information Network (ESWIN) - a network that enables professionals to obtain secondary and tertiary information on social welfare topics in various countries of the UN-European Region. The website enhances access to information from member countries in the network that includes national information on social welfare systems, key resources and professional bodies active in the area.
European Union's Fifth Framework Programme (FP5) - sets out the priorities for the European Union's research, technological development and demonstration (Rtd) activities for the period 1998-2002.
Eurostat is a key website offering comprehensive information covering a range of social and economic statistics and indicators for all EU countries.
Gender Statistics Database (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) - The central database for sex-disaggregated social data, providing the Common Gender Indicators for the ECE region, with the detailed data series which are used to calculate these indicators. The policy areas are population, families and households, work and the economy, education, public life and decision making, health, crime and violence. Data series are presented by country, year, and by social and demographic breakdowns.
The International Comparisons in Policy Making Toolkit was developed by CMPS to provide help and guidance in the use of international comparisons in policy making.
Knowledge Base Social Sciences
in Eastern Europe
Market Research on the Web - a free gateway to approximately 1,000 evaluated web sites, containing statistics, business information and market data, including trade associations and other industry sources. Each link contains a short evaluation of the site. Mainly from UK and pan-European sources but more international sites are gradually being added.
Measuring performance of Government Departments - international developments: a report for the National Audit Office (181kb) by Colin Talbot, Lyn Daunton and Colin Morgan. Public Futures, 2001 - examines performance measure developments in eight countries; Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the USA. The report was included as an appendix to the NAO report Measuring performance in Government departments.
Minimum Pay in EU25: Spain and UK have lowest percentage of workforce on minimum wage - Article in Finfacts 13 July 2006. Chart shows figures for 25 EU countries.
MISSOC - Mutual Information System on Social Protection in the EU Member States and the EEA
Nordic
and East / Central European Network for Qualitative Social Research (NECEN)
The Policy Documentation Center
Policy Network - an organisation that aims to link and inform those involved in policy making. Has links with government and policy-makers in more than 25 countries. Covers social, economic and foreign policy issues and is updated daily with highlights of new international research. Claims to contain all UK think tank online papers as well as links to full text research and policy papers from international think tanks. Also carries directories of think tanks from various countries. There are also thematic summaries of key resources in different policy areas e.g. Council Tax reform, the International Criminal Court and voluntary sector research.
REESWeb - Russian and East European Studies
SCADPlus - Background information on EU policies
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) - focuses on economic analysis, environment and human settlements, statistics, sustainable energy, trade, industry and enterprise development, timber and transport.
The World Bank includes national statistics for countries and regions including Data profiles and country at a glance tables.
Click here for advice on how to decide whether a piece of evidence is useful.
Use the CMPS International Comparisons in Policy Making Toolkit for help and guidance on learning lessons from other countries.