The consumer empowerment index. A measure of skills, awareness and engagement of European consumers

The Consumer Empowerment Index is a pilot exercise, aimed at obtaining a first snapshot of the state of consumer empowerment as measured by the Eurobarometer survey (Special Eurobarometer n. 342). It is neither a final answer on empowerment nor a comprehensive study on all the different facets of consumer empowerment, but instead it is meant to foster the debate on the determinants of empowerment and their importance for protecting consumers. This report describes the steps followed in the construction of the Index of consumer Empowerment. In particular the definition of the theoretical framework, the quantification of categorical survey questions, the univariate and multivariate analysis of the dataset, and the set of weight used for calculating the scores and ranks of the Index. The report also discusses the robustness of the results and the relationship between the Index and the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents in order to identify the features of the most vulnerable consumers. The Consumer Empowerment Index identifies Norway as the leading country followed by Finland, the Netherlands and Germany and Denmark. The middle of the ranking is dominated by western countries such as Belgium, France, and UK, with an average score 13% lower than the top five. At the bottom of the Index are some Eastern and Baltic countries like Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania with a score 31% lower on average (this gap reaches 40% and 38% in Awareness of consumer legislation and Consumer skills). A group of southern countries, Italy, Portugal, and Spain score poorly in the Index, especially in the pillar Consumer skills where the gap with the top performers reaches 30%.Consumer empowerment; composite indicators

Towards a set of composite indicators on Flexicurity: The Composite indicator on Active Labour Market Policies

Abstract This paper presents a composite indicator to measure Effective Active Labour Market Policies (ALMP) using 16 indicators based on the Eurostat¿s Labour Market Policies DataBase. Alongside the composite index on Life Long Learning (LLL) previously elaborated, the present index has been developed within the joint DG EMPL/DG JRC project aimed to measure Flexicurity in the EU through a set of four composite indicators corresponding to the four main pillars of flexicurity as identified in the 2006 Commission Communication on this topic (COM(2007) 359). The ALMPs index is computed following the methodology developed in the OECD/JRC handbook on composite indicators. The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 lists the indicators and presents their characteristics and problems. Section 3 presents the methodology adopted for computation of a composite indicator. Section 4 shows the results. Section 5 carries out uncertainty analysis of their robustness. Finally, section 6 presents results on a country-by-country basis.JRC.G.9-Econometrics and applied statistic

Augev Method and an Innovative Use of Vocal Spectroscopy in Evaluating and Monitoring the Rehabilitation Path of Subjects Showing Severe Communication Pathologies

A strongly connotative element of developmental disorders (DS) is the total or partial impairment of verbal communication and, more generally, of social interaction. The method of Vocal-verb self-management (Augev) is a systemic organicistic method able to intervene in problems regarding verbal, spoken and written language development successfully. This study intends to demonstrate that it is possible to objectify these progresses through a spectrographic examination of vocal signals, which detects voice phonetic-acoustic parameters. This survey allows an objective evaluation of how effective an educational-rehabilitation intervention is. This study was performed on a population of 40 subjects (34 males and 6 females) diagnosed with developmental disorders (DS), specifically with a diagnosis of the autism spectrum disorders according to the DSM-5. The 40 subjects were treated in “la Comunicazione” centers, whose headquarters are near Bari, Brindisi and Rome. The results demonstrate a statistical significance in a correlation among the observed variables: supervisory status, attention, general dynamic coordination, understanding and execution of orders, performing simple unshielded rhythmic beats, word rhythm, oral praxies, phono-articulatory praxies, pronunciation of vowels, execution of graphemes, visual perception, acoustic perception, proprioceptive sensitivity, selective attention, short-term memory, segmental coordination, performance of simple rhythmic beatings, word rhythm, voice setting, intonation of sounds within a fifth, vowel pronunciation, consonant pronunciation, graphematic decoding, syllabic decoding, pronunciation of caudate syllables, coding of final syllable consonant, lexical decoding, phoneme-grapheme conversion, homographic grapheme decoding, homogeneous grapheme decoding, graphic stroke

Towards a set of composite indicators on Flexicurity: the Indicator on Modern Social Security Systems

As a third step in the process of construction of a set of composite indicators on flexicurity within a joint DG EMPL-JRC project, this paper presents an attempt to calculate a Composite Indicator on Modern Social Security System, which is one of the main four dimensions of flexicurity according to relevant Commission policy documents (see COM(2007) 359). The dimension of Modern Social Security System is captured through three different indicators: 4. the main indicator, which is based on 20 basic indicators and covers the three year period from 2005 to 2007, 5. a first additional indicator, based on 17 basic indicators and covering only 2004, 6. a second additional indicator built on 24 basic indicators and covering only 2007. All indicators used are based on three different sources. Results point to a heterogeneous Europe, with an overall good performance of Continental countries, and less favourable scores for Mediterranean and Eastern Member States. The indicator's country ranking is quite stable over the period considered with a few changes from one year to another. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses have been performed in order to test the robustness of the Composite Indicator. Those were based on 29400 different simulated scenarios for the main indicator, 25200 different scenarios for the 2004 indicator and 35000 simulated scenarios for the 2007 indicator, generated by considering different options with respect to standardization methods, weighting scheme, aggregation rules and the inclusion/exclusion of basic indicators. Results show that the composite indicator's scores and rankings are overall robust over the period, although some variability is present in each year. This is mainly due to the imputation of missing data. On average, countries record a higher ranking variability with respect to the Life Long Learning Composite indicator, but a lower one compared to the index on Active Labour Market Policies. This is due to the varying presence of missing data. However, the MSS index is quite robust compared to similar indicators developed in the literature.JRC.G.9-Econometrics and applied statistic

Towards a set of Composite Indicators on Flexicurity: a Comprehensive Approach

The European Commission¿s Lisbon Agenda aims to enhance both flexibility and security in the labour markets in order to reconcile competitiveness and sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion (COM(2007)359). The pursuit of a balance between flexibility and security addresses simultaneously -the flexibility of labour markets, work organization and labour relations, and -security, including employment and social security for weaker groups in and out of the labour market. This is the concept of flexicurity whereby flexibilisation of employment and labour markets is advocated to support productivity, competitiveness and growth, while security is advocated from a social policy perspective emphasising the importance of preserving social cohesion within society (Wilthagen, 1998). The approach of flexicurity implies that the policies for more and better jobs are developed in coordination with social partners from both sides, i.e. employees and employers, through public or private partnership and are aimed to ensure security to workers in and out of the labour market reducing risks of social exclusion (Wilthagen and Tros, 2004). Moreover, flexicurity also concerns progress of workers into better jobs, development of talent and support of transitions during life course, e.g. from school to work, from job to job, between unemployment and employment and from work to retirement. Therefore, security implies equipping people with the skills that enable them to progress in their working lives, and helping them find a new job rapidly when unemployed. It is also about adequate unemployment benefits to facilitate transitions towards new jobs. Finally, it encompasses training opportunities for all workers, especially weaker groups such as the low skilled and older workers. This paper has been developed in this framework and presents the findings of a research project carried out by the Joint Research Centre- (Unit G09-Econometrics and Applied Statistics) and DG Employment (Unit D1 ¿ Employment Analysis) of the European Commission . The project aimed to develop statistical tools to measure flexicurity achievements of EU Member States through a set of four composite indicators corresponding to the four dimensions of flexicurity identified by the Commission (COM(2007)359) ¿Lifelong Learning (LLL), ¿Active Labour Market Policies (ALMP), ¿Modern Social Security Systems (MSS) and ¿Flexible and Reliable Contractual Arrangements (FCA). This project represents a significant step forward with respect to previous analyses of flexicurity, in many respects: Comprehensiveness, Soundness and transparency of statistical methodology used, Solid theoretical framework on flexicurity, Policy relevance: possibility to replicate the exercise for policy monitoring, Robustness of results is extensively assessedJRC.DG.G.9-Econometrics and applied statistic

Towards a set of composite indicators on Flexicurity: the Indicator on Flexible and Reliable Contractual Arrangement

As a fourth and last step in the process of construction of a set of composite indicators on flexicurity within a joint DG EMPL-JRC project, this paper presents a composite indicator on Flexible and Reliable Contractual Arrangements (FCA), i.e. one of the four dimensions of flexicurity identified by the Commission (see COM(2007) 359). The indicator is based on 19 basic indicators and three sub-dimensions, i.e. i) Regulations on dismissals and use of flexible contractual forms - external flexibility; ii) Flexibility of working time - internal flexibility; iii) Flexibility of work organisation to help combine work and family responsibilities ¿ work-life balance combination flexibility. The indicator covers a four years period (2005 to 2008). The large set of indicators included, going well beyond the strictness of employment protection legislation whereby labour market flexibility is often measured, makes this exercise broader and more comprehensive than any previous attempt to characterise the flexibility dimension within a holistic attempt to measure flexicurity. All indicators used are based on institutional EU-level data sources. Results point to considerable heterogeneity in FCA across the EU, although Member States are not always grouped across well defined geographical clusters often mentioned in relevant literature (e.g. Southern, Anglo-Saxon etc.). The indicator's country ranking is quite stable over time, in particular in the years 2006-2008, while significant differences can be observed between 2005, on the one hand, and 2006-2008, on the other hand. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses have been performed in order to test the robustness of the Composite Indicator. Those were based on 12000 different simulated scenarios, generated by considering different options with respect to standardization methods, weighting scheme, aggregation rules and the inclusion/exclusion of basic indicators. Results show that the composite indicator's scores and rankings are overall robust, albeit with some variability mainly due to imputation of missing data and low correlation among basic indicators. On average, ranking variability is higher than in the Life Long Learning and Modern Social Security composite indicators, but lower than in the Active Labour Market Policies one, reflecting the varying presence of missing data.JRC.DG.G.9-Econometrics and applied statistic

Comparison of fatty acid profile in lamb meat and baby food based on lamb meat

The aim of this study was to compare the fatty acid (FA) profile of fresh lamb meat with those of baby foods based on lamb meat. For this purpose, samples of commercial homogenized (HO) and lyophilized (LIO) baby food based on lamb meat and fresh lamb meat (FM) were analyzed for their FA composition. All fatty acids, except for oleic acid and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), differed among the three baby products tested. The sum of omega-6 FA and the ratio omega 6/omega 3 FA were lower in FM and LIO meat compared to HO samples. The content of total PUFA n-3 was the highest in FM, because of its highest content of C18:3 n3, EPA, DPA and DHA compared to LIO and HO baby food. The content of arachidonic acid was more than 6-fold higher in FM compared to LIO and HO. This study evidenced the possibility of enhancing the FA profile of commercial baby food based on lamb meat by using meat with healthier FA profile

The characterization of Active Citizenship in Europe

Facilitating Active citizenship is one of the European Commission's strategies for increasing social cohesion and reducing the democratic deficit across Europe within the context of the wider Lisbon process. In this context, this report provides an evidence base for policy development, identifying the socio-demographic characteristics and determinants of active citizens and those who for one reason or another participate much less. The report provides a detailed identikit of the active citizen from 2002 across 14 European countries Austrian, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden (the complete dataset available for this research is only available for the majority of old member states of the European Union and European Economic Area).JRC.G.9-Econometrics and applied statistic

Invasione di specie aliene: comparsa di Polyphemus pediculus (Linnaeus, 1761; Crustacea Cladocera) nel Lago Maggiore

Polyphemus pediculus (Linnaeus, 1761) is a holoarctic cladoceran species typically inhabiting the littoral zone of lakes. It is a voracious predator, hunting its prey by visual predation, able to deplete the zooplankton population. Its detection for the first time in Lake Maggiore, at a sampling station close to the littoral, in which zooplankton was monitored for 20 years is worth of being discussed. First, because it represents a further increase in predatory Cladocera, after Bythotrephes longimanus (Leydig, 1860) have successfully re-emerged in the open water. Second, because it may be regarded as an increasing invasion trend in a lake traditionally considered as a stable, mature environment, in which invasions should be hardly successful.Polyphemus pediculus (Linnaeus, 1761) ? un cladocero oloartico che tipicamente colonizza la zona litorale dei laghi. ? un predatore vorace, che attua una strategia di predazione visiva, in grado di decimare il popolamento zooplanctonico. La presenza di questo organismo, rilevata per la prima volta in campioni provenienti da una stazione del Lago Maggiore, posta vicino alla zona litorale nella quale lo zooplancton viene monitorato da 20 anni, ? meritevole di discussione. Primo, perch? rappresenta un ulteriore aumento della frazione di Cladoceri predatori, dopo l\u27accresciuta presenza numerica di Bythotrephes longimanus (Leydig, 1860) nelle acque pelagiche. Secondo, perch? pu? essere considerato un aumento della tendenza alle invasioni, in un lago tradizionalmente considerato come un ambiente stabile e maturo, nel quale pertanto la probabilit? di successo delle invasioni dovrebbe essere bassa

How will the COVID-19 crisis affect existing gender divides in Europe?

The present report is a first attempt to assess potential consequences of the covid-19 outbreak on women and on gender equality in Europe. The report was produced in April 2020, with the aim of informing policy making about the possible impacts of the crisis. Timing does not allow for reporting about actual impacts, as there is hardly any data available on the topic yet. Instead, this work provides an overview of the status quo in some relevant aspects of gender inequalities before the crisis and makes informed predictions on what is likely to happen.JRC.I.1-Monitoring, Indicators & Impact Evaluatio