The European Centre provides expertise in the fields of welfare and social policy development in a broad sense - in particular in areas where multi- or interdisciplinary approaches, integrated policies and inter-sectoral action are called for.

European Centre expertise includes issues of demographic development, work and employment, incomes, poverty and social exclusion, social security, migration and social integration, human security, care, health and well-being through the provision of public goods and personal services. The focus is on the interplay of socio-economic developments with institutions, public policies, monetary transfers and in-kind benefits, population needs and the balance of rights and obligations.

For the mid-term period, the European Centre has structured its research activities, its knowledge provision and policy debates into Research Pillars.

Based on comparative empirical research, the European Centre provides a large variety of products and services:

• Benchmarks and social indicators for policy-makers and the public at large
• Overviews, reviews of evidence and "quick scans"
• Evaluations, consultancy, policy development and knowledge-based policy recommendations
• Conferences, expert meetings and annual Open Forum Meetings
• Training, technical assistance and know-how transfer
• International exchange and networking
• Knowledge dissemination and contribution to the public discourse through the mass media
• Web-integrated tools for information management
• Books, reports, policy papers and other kinds of publications

• Book Series "Public Policy and Social Welfare" (Ashgate, Aldershot), in English, since 1990
• Book Series "Wohlfahrtspolitik und Sozialforschung" (Campus Verlag, Frankfurt/New York), in German, since 1993
• Other Book Publications, books or special reports published outside the above series, with a variety of established publishing houses and in various languages.
• "Eurosocial" Reports, contain conference or expert meeting syntheses, reports resulting from projects, etc. , in English / French / German, since 1974
• Programme Overview / Annual Report of Activities, The European Centre Newsletter, in English