Quality-centred service delivery leveraged by digitalization now prioritises personalized, responsive services that empower individuals. This analysis article demonstrates how institutions in Europe have implemented digital service approaches aligned with the ISSA Guidelines on Service Quality to focus on providing quality and inclusive services that are user-centred and provide value to members.

In today's dynamic societal landscape, supporting women and families plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth through inclusive and sustainable development. Across the globe, countries are implementing a range of initiatives to address the challenges related to balancing work and personal lives. The solutions can be especially transformative for women, who are more likely to bear primary care responsibilities. This analysis aims to contribute to the ongoing developments in empowering women and strengthening family well-being in a rapidly evolving world, with a focus on European experiences.

While the first international social security agreements were established in the 1940s and earlier, there are today 627 bilateral and 19 multilateral agreements in force. European countries and territories are part of over 80 per cent of them. In this article, the International Social Security Association (ISSA) examines the evolution of such agreements, with a focus on European contracting countries, in light of increasing migration flows and various forms of work migration.

Institutions support people in life transitions by “connecting the dots” of various social security and social services through systematic data exchange. The implementation of new mechanisms of data coordination has already proven instrumental for improving social security services and benefits, better reaching the population in need and, most importantly, facilitating tailored support to people during key moments of their life. 

Recognizing the value of prevention, social security institutions are actively seeking solutions to support covered employers and workers. The Vision Zero strategy was developed by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), and offers an innovative, yet simple and easy-to-implement strategy to reduce work-related accidents and diseases. This article introduces recent Vision Zero and occupational safety and health implementation initiatives developed by European institutions. It underscores the importance of selecting the most suitable prevention approach for different target groups, and outlines both obstacles and opportunities that can help progress in prevention.

Health care is a vital component of any comprehensive social security system and an important priority for members of the International Social Security Association (ISSA). The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored this fact, highlighting the need for sustainable, adaptable and resilient health care systems capable of ensuring universal access to affordable and effective care. Achieving this is not simple. Health is a complex and challenging branch of social security, requiring an array of coordinated inputs and structures to meet health care needs.

The lack of social security coverage for the self-employed has recently attracted significant attention in Europe. Changes in the world of work, including the rising prevalence of platform work, have led to an increasing number of self-employed workers with lower incomes. These trends, together with the COVID-19 pandemic, have shed light on the historically insufficient protection for the self-employed across the region.

In Europe, as globally, platform work remains a growing phenomenon. This article explores how recent developments in Europe affect platform workers’ rights and access to social security. In particular, it considers recent steps toward the appropriate classification of certain workers, changes in working conditions, and the extension of new rights and responsibilities.

Europe as a region is characterized as having achieved comprehensive social security coverage, yet still faces challenges in ensuring access to social security and preventing the non-take-up of benefits. This article presents a synthesis of discussions held during a technical seminar organized with the ISSA European Network (IEN).

Digital technologies are fundamentally transforming how public services are designed and delivered. This article zooms in on the implementation of digital inclusion strategies among European ISSA member institutions.