Suchergebnisse

The position of immigrant workers in the Belgian labor market & social security system is examined, based on statistical evidence. Total employment of immigrants has more than doubled, from 114,000 in 1954 to 245,900 in 1978. The proportion employed in industry has remained stable, while that in mining has declined & that in the tertiary sector has greatly expanded. The immigrants' young family structure is reflected in their relatively high share of family allowances & low demand on pension funds. Although there is no evidence of discrimination in the social security system, the immigrants' labor market position is unstable, especially for those who are not citizens of European Economic Community countries, which affects their social security rights; it is therefore suggested that immigrants be granted full citizenship after five years' residence in Belgium. 4 Tables, 2 Figures. Modified HA

The political map of Europe was transformed by the collapse of the Soviet Union & the reunification of Germany, ending four decades of stability & leading to new political configurations: the emergence of the independent Baltic states -- Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania -- with regional links not only to neighboring Russia but to Western Europe as well. The recent political history of the Baltic states is summarized, from their interwar independence to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact & their renewed independence in the early 1990s. Also discussed are postindependence demographic & social problems & prospects in the Baltics: the presence of large Russian minorities, language tests for citizenship, & the states' aspirations for European Union membership. The European Union has tried to serve as go-between for the region, & there are especially close & positive ties between the Baltic states & the Nordic countries. A. Siegel