本論文的研究內容著重於歐洲聯盟的社會排除（social exclusion）問題、社會融合（social inclusion）政策與社會投資（social investment）上。在全球化時代下，追求經濟更進步發展時，社會排除問題仍日益嚴重。歐盟認知其嚴重性，並重視存在於歐盟境內整體社會中的排除問題，對之採取相應的「社會融合」與「社會投資」政策。 也因歐盟涵蓋28個國家，社會政策等政策必須尊重各會員國國家主權，歐盟僅能透過歐盟層級訂定如「里斯本策略」或「歐洲2020策略」一般的十年間策略性目標，希望整體歐盟能朝向相同目標努力，並給予各會員國建議；其中，2010年至2020年間的「歐洲2020策略」相較於「里斯本策略」更加重視「社會投資」，希望能透過預防性政策，更積極面對「社會排除」。為此，歐盟除了開放協調法（Open method of coordination, OMC）外，亦制定「歐洲學期（European Semester）」來監控各國的狀況，歐盟機關與會員國之間互相配合，適時給予政策制定之建議。 本文亦特別聚焦於青年投資策略，探討歐盟青年就業的現況與問題，及歐盟所訂定之投資青年的計畫，藉此了解歐盟如何投資於人以及青年，為改善社會排除問題做出何種行動。 This thesis aims at discussing the European Union (EU)’s social exclusion problems and how it confront the set of problems by instilling social inclusion and social investment policies.
The EU, composed of 28 countries, can only set up a strategic frame at the EU level as to respect the sovereign right of each and every member state. Examples included the Lisbon Strategy, from 2002-2010, and Europe 2020, from 2010-2020, both are 10-year long strategies aim at advancement within the EU. This kind of plans intends for all the EU nations to achieve a set of goals, and advices are given to each individual state; Europe 2020 in particular focuses on social investment, attempting to “prevent” social exclusions actively. To ensure member states’ involvment, the European Semester has been set up as an annual plan to monitor the progess of each nation.
This thesis also discusses “Investment in Youth,” surveying the problems youth in the EU are facing and the plan to counter them, as a way of understanding how the EU invests in people, youth in particular, to combat social exclusions.
