Social Policy Challenges and Strategic Priorities in the EU Candidate Countries

Abstract

The paper will examine social policy challenges of three EU candidate countries (Serbia, Montenegro and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and how they are addressed within current strategic documents. In doing so, the focus of analysis will be on challenges related to employment, social protection and social inclusion. According to Eurostat, the aforementioned EU candidate countries have a rather weak socioeconomic profile, due to persistence of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion among vulnerable groups. The paper will analyse existing statistical data as well as qualitative research to assess the scope of these challenges as well as the profile of vulnerable groups. Parallel with this, the paper will map to what extent these realities are reflected in the strategic documents, namely, the Economic and Social Policy Reform Programmes and the National Economic Re- form Programmes. By doing so, the paper does not aim just to single out challenges and priorities, but also to analyse the existence of critical approach and readiness for reform, the inclusion of integrated approach between different sectoral policies as well as political determination towards combating major social challenges.