Regional Summer School on Social
Security Co-ordination
Course descriptions
Unit 1. Basic principles of social security policy,
taught by Prof. J. Berghman
The unit provides the participants with an introduction into the historic
foundations of the social security systems and the common concepts used in
social security language. It will give insight in possible techniques of social
security provision and envisages creating a common discussion language for all
participants.
The aim of the unit dealing with basic concepts is to make the participants
understand the broader socio-political aims of social security instruments and
to position the latter in their broader socio-economic setting. Main target of
the unit is to provide the participants with insight into the multi-functionality
of social security and in the multidisciplinary to approach this.
The unit on the basic techniques of social security deals with the following
topics:
- the traditional approach to social security
- the search for basic determinants of social security developments (its origins
and dissemination; typical national developments; evolution within countries)
- a typology of social security systems (basic techniques; types of benefits;
social security systems)
- social security as an exponent of the industrial society; criticism of the
traditional social security approach; coping with a changing context).
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
- J. BERGHMAN, “Basic concepts on social security in
Europe”, 23p.
- J. BERGHMAN, “The resurgence of poverty and the struggle against exclusion: a
new challenge for social security in Europe?”, International social security
review, 1997, 2-21.
Unit 2: Social security
comparison and social security systems in Europe,
taught by prof. D. Pieters
In this course the students will be initiated into the principles behind (European)
social security systems. Its objective is to provide a brief outline of the
concepts and principles as well as the options and techniques present in the
structures and development of any social security system. The introduction into
social security entails the chalking out of an abstract frame in which each
concrete social security system can be put into perspective. In this way systems
can be more easily compared with each other. The course will also enable to
provide the participants with examples of social security schemes as to be found
in Europe.
In this unit the following topics will be discussed:
- the concept of social security
- the legal sources of social security
- the administration of social security
- the personal scope of application of social security schemes
- the risks and benefits (in general; old age; survivorship; incapacity to work;
unemployment; family; health care and need)
- the financing of social security
- legal protection and law enforcement in social security
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
- D. PIETERS, Social security: an introduction to the basic principles, Kluwer,
2006, 137p. (1-109)
- D. PIETERS, Recent Trends in Social Security in Europe: difficulties and
answers, Instituut Sociaal Recht, Leuven, 2005, 20p.
Unit 3: International and European social security law,
taught by prof. G. Strban
The unit will make participants familiar with the legal concepts and reasoning
of European social security law. Next to an introduction into the European
Union, the Council of Europe and the ILO, their instruments and institutions,
the unit will mainly focus upon the process of European integration and the
consequences this may have for the national social security systems. The
competencies that the Council of Europe, the ILO and the EU hold in the sphere
of social security, as well as all relevant instruments of social security law
will be examined here. All relevant European legislation on social security will
be covered in the fields of both harmonisation and co-ordination. More precisely
will be covered the standard setting conventions and social right conventions of
the Council of Europe and the ILO, and in relation to the European Union, the
social protection rules in the primary EU law, the directives on equal treatment
of men and women in social security, the convergence recommendations and the
technique of open method of co-ordination monitoring the debate on social
exclusion and the modernisation of social protection. The unit will deal with
question whether the ongoing process of integration requires (or not) further
steps in the harmonisation of social security. Finally the unit will introduce
briefly the basic co-ordination principles which are present across the various
international and European social security instruments.
Literature (provided in the reading materials)
- J. NICKLESS, European Code of Social Security – Short Guide, Strasbourg,
Council of Europe, 2002, 137p. (9-49)
- S. VANSTEENKISTE and P. SCHOUKENS, European Community competencies in the
field of social security, Reading Materials Master Programme Social Security and
Europe, Instituut Sociaal Recht, Leuven, 2003-2004, 42-69.
- J. NICKLESS, Equal treatment of men and women in social security, Reading
Materials Master Programme Social Security and Europe, Instituut Sociaal Recht,
Leuven, 2000, 165-191.
- Legal materials
Unit 4: Social security
economics,
taught by prof. T. Stanovnik
This course has an introductory nature and is designed to give the participants
a common, basic understanding of the way economics look at the phenomenon of
social security. It analyses the relationship between economic policy and social
security. More precisely, it will apply some general economic theories upon the
social security area. The economic effects of social state interventions are
examined as well as some key notions of the theory of consumer behaviour and the
welfare economy. The effects of income transfers and services upon individual
behaviour also included as well as some discussion on the balance between
efficiency and equity. Capita selecta may be added in accordance with actuality.
Literature (provided in the reading materials)
- N. BARR; Economics of the welfare state, Oxford University Press, edition
2004.
chapter 5: Economic theory 2: Insurance (page 102 to 120);
chapter 9: Consumption smoothing: Old-age pensions (page 186 to 212);
chapter 12: Health and health care (incomplete, only from 253 to 269).
Unit 5: Aspects of social security management and IT,
taught by S. Segaert
The unit is composed of two parts. One will deal with the management of social
security as such, the other is more focusing upon the practical application of
informatisation techniques in the management of social security. The general
theories and skills will be tested as to their applicability and significance in
a social security environment. The quality assessment of social security
administration as well as the phenomenon of management contracts between more
autonomous social security agencies and public authorities will be highlighted.
In the second part, trends in Information and Telecommunications Technologies
will be highlighted, especially the ones that are relevant to social security
policy and administration. It will assist readers identify innovative
technological solutions and initiatives and the policies these are intended to
support. It will also provide some ideas on future technological solutions that
may emerge to facilitate future waves of change.
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
B. ZAGLMAYER, P. SCHOUKENS and D. PIETERS, Cooperation between social security
and tax agencies in Europe, Washington, IBM The Business of Government, 2005,
18-25, 32, 34, 43-44, 36, 40-42 and 45-47 (www.businessofgovernment.org)
J. DEPREST and F. ROBBEN, E-Government: the approach of the Belgian federal
administration, Brussels, June 2003 (www.ksz.fgov.be)
MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND COMMUNICATIONS OF ESTONIA, Information
technology in public administration of Estonia, yearbook 2004, Tallinn, 2005
(www.riso.ee/en/it2004en/)
Other literature
Please consult following website:
http://sosecsummerschool2008.pbwiki.com/FrontPage
Unit 6: Social Protection Philosophy,
taught by prof. G. Vonk
This unit will concentrate on the values present in social security systems.
Whereas other branches of philosophical thinking are already well developed,
e.g. labour philosophy, social security philosophy is rather new. The course
will therefore start with an examination of the meaning of the very concept of
social security philosophy and give an overview of the main thinking in this
area. Then the unit will concentrate upon the main values explicitly or
implicitly present in the way social security systems are built up. The
relationship between social security and some key concepts will be examined:
these key concepts include: solidarity, subsidiarity, work ethics,
responsibility and personal freedom.
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
- K. MARX and F. ENGELS, The communist manifesto
- Encycliclal of Pope Leo XIII on capital and labor, Rerum novarum
- W. KYMLICKA "Contemporay political philosophy: an introduction" Oxford
University Press, 2001.
SEMINARS
Two seminars are planned. The Seminars should integrate the various units around
one or more central topics. At the occasion of the seminars, participants will
have to prepare a presentation on a certain topic (e.g. designing an optimal
solution for a given problem). They will do so in multinational and
multidisciplinary smaller groups.
Both seminars will start with an introduction (of 4 hours) by an expert into the
concrete subject, respectively, prof. Strban for social security co-ordination
and prof. Pieters and the local project officers for the converging of social
policies.
SEMINAR 1: Co-ordination of
social security systems in South Eastern Europe
Tutored by prof. P. Schoukens
This
seminar will deal with the technical issue of social security co-ordination.
Practical social security problems caused by cross border movement and migration
will be solved, by applying possible co-ordination techniques that are enshrined
in the major European co-ordination instruments. A special focus will go to the
typical cross border issues that arise in the South-Eastern Europe.
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
- P. SCHOUKENS, “Introduction to social security co-ordination in the EU”,
Instituut Socaal Recht, Leuven, 2004, 61p.
- J. NICKLESS: Co-ordination of social security in the Council of Europe – Short
Guide, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, 2004, 5-105
- L. LEPPIK, “Co-ordination of pensions in the European Union: The case of
mandatory defined-contribution schemes in the Central and Eastern European
Countries”, European Journal of Social Security, No. 1/2006.
- Legal materials
SEMINAR 2: Converging social
policies in South Eastern Europe
Tutored by prof. D. Pieters and local participants
This
seminar will focus upon the social security systems present in the region. The
systems will be compared among each other; furthermore policy proposals will be
developed by the participants in relation to specific policy problems that are
common to the South-Eastern Europe. They should also be able to evaluate their
system in the light of the European standards.
Literature (provided in the reading materials):
- Introduction into the social security system of Albania
- Introduction into the social security system of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Introduction into the social security system of Croatia
- Introduction into the social security system of “Kosovo under UN Resolution
1244”
- Introduction into the social security system of “the Former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia”
- Introduction into the social security system of Serbia
- Introduction into the social security system of Montenegro
Documents prepared by the local programme officers of the Social Institutions
Support Programme.