This Peer Review was hosted by the Norwegian Ministry of Labour and Social Inclusion on 23 and 24 November 2022 in Olso.

The peer review brought together government representatives and local-level social services representatives of the host country (Norway), five peer countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Malta, and the Netherlands), representatives of the European Commission and independent thematic experts. Representatives of the European Social Network facilitated the exchanges.

The focus of this peer review was on the active inclusion measures targeted at young adults receiving social assistance benefits. Participants discussed barriers to activation of young people and their needs beyond employment, as well as measures and programmes to facilitate entry into education or labour market, methods of coordination among service providers, and balancing conditionalities with incentives in the design of inclusive activation policies.

Background

In Europe social assistance, including minimum income support, and labour market activation go hand in hand.

This has been affirmed at EU level since the adoption of the 1992 Council Recommendation 92/441/EEC, confirmed by the 2008 Commission Recommendation on the active inclusion of people excluded from the labour market and by the European Pillar of Social Rights principle 14.

In 2022, the Commission proposed a Council Recommendation on adequate minimum income ensuring active inclusion. This Recommendation calls on Member States to modernise their minimum income schemes by reaffirming the active inclusion approach and focusing on adequacy, coverage and take-up of benefits, as well access to inclusive labour markets, enabling and essential services and individualised support.