Self-employed workers: industrial relations and working conditions
March 2009
Comparative study [ 
size 1122 kb ]
- see also the Executive Summary [ 
size 44.91 kb ]
This report presents an overview of the industrial relations and employment and working conditions of self-employed workers in the European Union and Norway. It presents basic trends in self-employment, highlights issues concerning the definition of self-employment and offers an overview of the national situations regarding the legal framework. The study also examines social security as a crucial aspect of the regulation of self-employment and a source of differences between employees and self-employed workers. Recent reforms in this area have often focused on increasing protection measures. Finally, the report analyses the presence and regulation of ‘economically dependent work’, as well as the collective representation of self-employed workers.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EIRO and EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.