Poverty hidden "German miracle"

In a stagnant eurozone , German locomotive seems to have found the formula to repeat the miracle of postwar low unemployment rate , economic growth and increased exports . But this glossy showcase for hiding an unthinkable fourth largest economy and second largest exporter in the world social reality. This flexible labor market explains an apparent paradox reflected in the Social Report 2013 published by the German Federal Office of Statistics. According to the report , the level of employment in 2012 reached a record 41.5 million people, but the total number of hours worked was below the rate for 1991 . " More and more people working part time voluntarily or because they do not offer anything else," the report said .

Poverty in a rich country

This job insecurity has been accompanied by an increased "risk of poverty " . According to the official flag "is considered precarious situation when a household whose income does not exceed 60 % of the median income of the entire country." Constantly ready money is all that is below 848 euros per month ( equivalent to U.S. $ 1,158 ) . In purely numerical terms it is clear that a poor in Germany is not as poor as in Latin America. But if you take into account the cost of living in Germany , the hardness of the European winter and the monthly salary of mini-jobs (450 euros) the film changes . Although employment has grown in the last ten years , today more than 16 % of the population is at " risk of poverty " compared with 15.2 % in 2007. The increase may seem minimal, but reflects a new social premise: having a job is not enough to escape poverty. According to German researcher Sebastian Dullien , author of " decent Capitalism " , the changes of the last decade are creating a new model. " The double reform social security and the labor market has greatly increased poverty and inequality. We are becoming a country of low wages ," the BBC said Dullien .

Global world , flexible work

The starting point was the Agenda 2010 reform led by the Social Democratic Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in 2002 to combat the challenges of globalization. That year the German growth was 0 % and had a high rate of "chronic" unemployment considered . Many economists Germany called the " sick man of Europe ," incapable of coping with the competition from China and other Asian countries . According to the head of the European Research Council for Foreign Affairs , Hans Kundnani , Agenda 2010 favored employers at the expense of workers. "To compete globally entrepreneurs were moving production to countries with lower labor costs. This forced the unions to accept wage moderation . So they worked did not see a drop in their standard of living for the security reform social and those that work had not felt that they benefited from this so-called German ' second miracle ' . relaxed to that the employment contributed to lower labor costs plus the German joined , "he told BBC Kundnani . The unions negotiating tripartite system -business- government established after World War II paved the way for this adjustment was made, but considering that GDP growth between 2002-2012 was 1.2 % the economic performance is far from being a "miracle" . " we had a couple of pretty good years , but the growth has not been as strong . wage stagnation was a fall in living standards and our domestic consumption," Dullien told BBC world.

The long-term

A poverty rates , add a crisis that is hitting very hard to retirees. The official estimate is that 30 % receive a pension of 688 euros per month ( U.S. $ 928) . The intervention of social security helps supplement this income , but the current labor market flexibility will go a shadowy society account. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Labour contributions of people with mini-jobs to public pension funds will give them a right to a 3.11 euros per month (U.S. $ 4.19 ) per year worked. With the retirement age to 67 , it can be calculated that someone who has had mini-jobs in hotels or restaurants, will have a monthly pension of 140 euros ( U.S. $ 189) at retirement. According to Sebastian Dullien is a situation that affects not only the mini-jobs . "There are full-time jobs that pay about 5 euros per hour (U.S. $ 6.75) . Pension of such wages also will be below the poverty line ," he told BBC News .
A model in trouble

Despite these data , Germany has been called a "miracle " because it spanned two international - the crisis, financial crash of 2008 and the sovereign debt of 2010 - with a level of growth which, while not outstanding, was remarkable if as compared with the rest of the eurozone. But this miracle is beginning to dissipate. In 2010 and 2011 the economy grew by 4.2 % and 3 % respectively, partly recovering the ground lost during the global economic recession in 2009 ( 5.1% contraction ) . Since then the story has changed . In 2012 growth was 0.7% . In 2013 0.5%. Percentages are comparable with the crisis years of the century . Still, Chancellor Angela Merkel was reelected in September, but was forced to form a coalition with the Social Democrats to govern. The price that the Social Democrats put the pact was an improvement of social conditions , including a minimum wage, an increase in pensions and investment in infrastructure. This new covenant is not the end of the easing. According to Hans Kundnani , globalization will continue to impose conditions. "This is a dilemma for all developed economies . The problem is that Germany tried to compete with emerging economies based on price and not on innovation and investment. The new measures driven by social democrats may increase consumption. 's argument is right that this minimum wage will be job losses , "he told BBC Kundnani
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The nightmare of the Spanish in Belgium: "We have been told a big lie with Europe"

Like many, left Spain with the idea of ​​a better life abroad, but the project was 300 Spaniards emigrated to Belgium were twisted when ordered to leave the country for being " an undue burden " to the system.



The Spaniards were in 2013 third in the list of those most Europeans against expulsions were issued in Belgium for this reason , after Romanians and Bulgarians, according to figures released in January by the Belgian Aliens Office .

The spokesman for the Foreign Office in Belgium, Dominique Ernould explained that under the concept of " unreasonable burden on the system " case is examined case in Belgium , and considered load " when a person takes in more than one arrest whole year , does efforts to find a job and is installed on a system of social aid . "

The Belgian State Ernould stressed , " can not stand " that pressure : "Since the Belgian population is difficult. If in addition we have to accept and treat as part of the European population , is absolutely impossible. "

A burden to the system
One of the cases affected by the expulsion of Belgium is the Donaire Fatima (Jaén, 1984) , Bachelor of Fine Arts , which arrived in Belgium in November 2010 to practice for five months in a design studio , a scholarship program Eurydice .

When the fellowship ended, Donaire reported that decided to stay in Belgium to learn French and find work. At the same time , asked one of the social assistance in Belgium to people who do not have sufficient resources are granted and that allowed him to receive 525 euros a month to pay for accommodation .

During a year, the Andalusian worked as a waitress , but her work was declared to social security and still receiving social assistance, until he received a letter with the order within 30 days that he had to leave the country for being a burden on the system .

Already with the Belgian population is difficult. If in addition we have to accept and treat as part of the European population , it is absolutely impossible

In Belgium European expulsions have increased from about 300 in 2010 to 2,000 in 2012 to overcome , since the Belgian authorities cross -agency data .

"This has revealed that many European abusing the system. We have seen that we were putting the nail on the head : it is a system that was not working , "said Ernould .

Donaire says it received a " derogatory treatment " at the town hall where he went to receive the letter and where he retired Belgian identity card .

Through a Belgian lawyer presented evidence that during your stay no longer looking for work , and had also done a course to become child cheerleader in schools.

Thanks to that , and above all , to find work last June in a public school in Ixelles ( Brussels ) , avoided expulsion.

European lie
"I feel cheated , I feel that we have told a big lie with Europe when it is not true, and we are all deceived. Until you pass something of this kind do not know , "he said in an interview.

Overcome the situation, she explains that to free movement within the European Union " really means that you have money to stay interested , you do not have money and are looking for the life that will come to your country."

The expulsions , said spokeswoman Belgian Aliens Office , responding to the provisions of European legislation .

In this regard Justice spokeswoman of the European Commission (EC ) , Mina Andreeva , recalled that " the free movement right together is a duty."

Andreeva said , although it involves the free movement within the Community , "does not imply the right of free access to social security systems of the Member States " .

" The citizens have the right to go to another EU country and stay up to three months without any obligation or right to seek benefits ," says Andreeva , adding that only you can stay up to six months in the country if the person demonstrates that actively seeking work .

After that term , " European citizens have no right to remain in the host Member State , unless they have financial means to support and comprehensive sickness insurance ."