Employment and job creation in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg

Employment is a key factor for social inclusion as a means of economic security, and also as a provider of stability and social protection. However, there are many circumstances that mediate between individuals and their capacity to integrate into the labor market. This report provides a diagnosis, derived from multiple sources, of the trends and structure of employment, unemployment, and underemployment.  It considers the broader European context with a focus on what occurred from the end of the 2000s until the period just prior to Covid. The research pays special attention to elements that have a major effect on (un/under) employment and job creation (national/regional cultures and attitudes, regulations, public policies, and private initiatives) in Europe – and particularly in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg. The document is structured as follows: a diagnosis of the context and trends in the European labor market in recent years; identification of vulnerable groups in the labor market; analysis of the public policies and private initiatives regarding employment challenges in these countries; and finally a summary of the main take-aways.

Researchers: Maria Sanchez, Maria Laffaire, and Elena Costas of KSNET.

Academic supervision: Lisa Hehenberger (Esade Center for Social Impact) and Ignasi Marti Lanuza (Esade Institute for Social Innovation).