Praxis’s analysts contribute to the work of European Social Policy Network (ESPN) as Estonian country experts. The Network offers independent information, analysis and expertise to the European Commission in the areas of pensions, social inclusion, health care and long term care, including also more specifically for example working life, childcare, equal opportunities and other. The overall objective is to support the Commission on monitoring progress towards the goals set up in the Europe 2020 strategy and in the European Semester. The network’s work contributes to better policy-making at European as well as national level.

Country experts provide several reports in different formats:

• Country profile, which provides background information about participating countries; it makes it easier to put other reports in the country’s context. The profile is updated regularly.
• Evaluations of national reform programmes (NRP) to evaluate whether and how the objectives and activities described in the country’s NRP in the area of social policy contribute to the objective set out in the Europe 2020 strategy and country specific recommendations.
• Thematic reports, which give an overview of the situation in the country on specific theme by describing the state of play, measures, documents regulating the field.
• Flash reports, which describe some important changes in the country (for example new legislation or new measures approved).
• Contributions to Policy Knowledge Bank. Specific challenges (for example, different methods for targeting social benefits to those who need them) are presented to country experts who submit solutions to the challenges already implemented in their country, providing also assessment whether the measure could be transferred to other countries as well.

See also

Estonia Ministry of Social Affairs

National Reform Programme “Estonia 2020”