Interactive tool to explore indicators in the Joint Assessment Framework now available

The new interactive JAF indicators tool offers to the public up-to-date access to the extensive set of indicators used for the Joint Assessment Framework (JAF) - an analytical tool to underpin evidence-based policy making - through an interactive, customisable, and detailed interface. With this new online tool each user can easily explore the data through filters, slicers, drill-downs, and different charts and maps enabling deeper insights. 

The JAF is an analytical tool designed for monitoring and coordinating employment and social policies in EU countries. It is an important part of surveillance mechanisms for tracking progress toward the EU 2030 targets in employment, social inclusion, and poverty reduction and to support the identification of key employment and social challenges.

The JAF is developed, maintained and used jointly by:

• European Commission
• Employment Committee (EMCO)
• Social Protection Committee (SPC)

This framework helps assess relative labour market performance, social outcomes and key structural factors, such as education, skills and social protection systems. Its results support EU countries in establishing their national priorities and feed into the Employment Performance Monitor (EPM) and the Social Protection Performance Monitor (SPPM), which are the basis of the Council’s contribution to the European Semester, the EU’s annual cycle of economic and policy coordination. 

Background

JAF key objectives

• promote evidence-based policymaking through systematic use of agreed indicators
• support peer reviews and mutual learning among Member States
• enable joint assessment of key employment and social challenges and good outcomes
• strengthen consistency between employment and social policy monitoring

The JAF consists of three steps: 1. quantitative assessment 2. qualitative assessment 3. identification of key challenges. For the first step, indicators are categorised by policy areas and type of indicators to guide the analytical focus, for example: 

• overall outcome (primary) indicators: a single key overall indicator per policy area that represents the policy objective, central for assessment and benchmarking
• sub- (secondary) indicators: help explain the outcome on the overall indicator
• context indicators: provide additional context to help interpret developments

Committees Involved

• EMCO (Employment Committee) and EMCO IG (Employment Committee Indicators Group)
• SPC (Social Protection Committee) and SPC ISG (Social Protection Committee Indicators Sub-Group) 

These committees, together with the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), develop, maintain, and update the JAF to ensure its relevance and robustness. 

Access to JAF tool

Joint Assessment Framework dashboard