“Luxembourg has to invest in quality jobs, education, and be more creative in the design of social policies to fight inequality”, said Nicolas Schmit, Luxembourg’s Minister of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy at a seminar organised jointly by the EIB Institute, the University of Luxembourg and other partners as part of the “Inequality and…” series.

Luxembourg is “a relatively equal society” but, as in other countries, top wages have increased much faster than bottom but also median ones, and since the mid-70s hourly wages have increased at a much slower pace than productivity gains,he added.

Mr Schmit pointed out that “less qualified people, single parents, women, households, young people and “third country nationals” are exposed to a higher risk of poverty in Luxembourg than any other group. “Social transfers alleviate the risks of poverty but do not suppress them” he concluded,  putting the emphasis on “free quality child care, education and lifelong learning”.

Click here for the presentation.