Paper Titles & Abstracts

The recession currently sweeping through Europe has led to record levels of unemployment. In April 2012 the Commission articulated its vision for a 'job rich recovery' intended to facilitate the 75% employment target set by the 2020 Strategy. The Commission's communication (COM (2012) 173 final) proposes a range of measures aimed at job creation, labour market reform and enhanced EU governance. However, as past experience has demonstrated, the rush to meet hard targets to reduce unemployment can have a detrimental and disproportionate impact on women's employment prospects which is likely to become even more pronounced given the current economic circumstances and the austerity measures which are being pursued by member states. A focus on increased flexibility and competiveness can compromise the quality of jobs and lead to an overall reduction in job security particularly for those who combine unpaid care-giving with paid employment. This paper will explore the reality behind the rhetoric by asking whether it is possible to ensure quality, quantity and gender equality in the achievement of the EU's objectives surrounding job creation.