International event explores the post-pandemic reconstruction of the Welfare State in Europe

The colloquium The Welfare State in Perspective was held on 11 June 2024 at Colégio da Trindade, to explore the issue of rebuilding the state after the COVID-19 pandemic from a social perspective, using examples from various European countries and other international experiences.

This event brought together researchers from different institutions to discuss the welfare state in various European countries, such as Portugal, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom. Throughout the day, topics related to the importance of the principle of solidarity in European Union law were addressed, particularly in emergencies; the evolution of welfare policies that have boosted economic growth in Spain; the transformations of the welfare state, and the provision of public services since the second half of the 20th century in different countries; the housing crisis; good administration as a fundamental pillar of the welfare state; the promotion and protection of economic and social rights, including environmental concerns by recognising the interconnection between social inequality and ecological degradation. The future of a Welfare State under reconstruction was also analysed, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Welfare State in Perspective is part of a collaborative relationship with the University of Vigo and the Complutense University (Vulneragood project, in which UCILeR researcher Dulce Lopes participates) which has been developed in constitutional and administrative terms on various issues such as civic participation.