News

Five-year joint project approaching the finish with an air of success

By Liu Yutong (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-07-05 07:54

Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin meeting with the EU Ambassador to China Markus Ederer in Beijing. Photos Provided to China Daily

20,000 participants in administrative capacity, policy exchange programs

With the closing ceremony and information dissemination workshop on July 5, the EU-China Social Security Project (EUCSS) is about to wrap up all its activities before the end of July this year.

As a focused project on social security and a high priority in both China and EU member countries, it has become a great example of EU-China cooperation.

Launched in 2006 by the European Union and the Chinese government with 40 million euros ($57.2 million) in joint funding, the EUCSS has supported China's social security legislation and capacity building initiatives as well as policy dialogue between China and EU member countries.

Minister of Human Resources and Social Security Yin Weimin said: "The China-EU program played a positive role in the cultivation of talent with a global vision, in the understanding and learning of EU experience and in the promotion of China's security system construction."

There are 20,000 Chinese participants taking part in a series of social insurance capacity building activities, ranging from urban employees pension insurance to rural residents pension insurance, from health insurance to work injury insurance, from social insurance service standardization to social careering of the pensioners.

There were 360 social security policy makers and experts from EU countries participating in EU-China Round Table series, covering such policy issues as aging population and social security legislation.

Policy advice

Excellent research results have been achieved in the areas of pension benefiting both urban and rural residents, and health, unemployment and work injury insurance schemes.

The project has held a series of Social Insurance Legislation Consultation seminars to advice Chinese legislators, regulators and administrators on Social Insurance Law, the development of health insurance manual, analysis of training needs, best social insurance practice package, standard procedures of social insurance service.

EUCSS has also organized workshops to support the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in its preparedness for the implementation of the new Social Insurance Law, which took effect on July 1.

"Our project is a great example of EU-China cooperation," said EU Ambassador to China Markus Ederer.

"It has been highly significant in the overall strategic partnership between the EU and China. Against the background of dynamic economic change, the EUCSS project has supported the Chinese government in its endeavor to establish a sustainable social security system.

"Now, our Social Security Dialogue has to become more than just a dialogue, as social security is an important and strategic component of the prosperity of both the EU and China in a globalized world.

"We are now close to entering a new era and must turn the page and move towards a different and more ambitious partnership, with higher commitments, but above all: with higher stakes."

Capacity building

The project has been fruitful in transferring available international know-how and expertise to improve quality and performance of the founded projects at national and provincial levels.

With the development of social insurance administrative procedures, the strengthening of social care, the introduction of social insurance administration standards and procedures, more and more social insurance participants as well as employers will benefit from the extension of social insurance coverage and the improvement of social insurance procedures.

New bridge

The EUCSS has also served as a platform linking EU and Chinese social insurance administrators for the sharing of both experiences and lessons.

Dialogue has become a key feature of the project for the improvement of social security system in China and EU member countries in a globalized world.

During the project, the European Commission and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security decided to keep this initiative and entered into an agreement.

The dialogue on human resources and social security has become institutionalized on annual basis.

(China Daily 07/05/2011 page10)