Communiqué, issue 6, 2003
Articles
- 2004 programme presents challenges and opportunities
- Spotlight on social policy for Irish EU Presidency
- Local partnerships can boost social inclusion
- Reaping the gains of industrial change
- Use of IT in publishing and media
- Cross-border coordination in the EU motor sector
- Better employment prospects for ill, disabled
- Web user survey results
- New working conditions observatory takes shape
Previous issues of Communiqué
Data and analysis on the quality of life of Europeans, the launch of the European working conditions observatory, an update on European Works Councils, and a strategic communication campaign will dominate the Foundation’s work in 2004. This will represent the final chapter of the current four-year work programme.
‘In 2004, Europe will pass the half-way mark to achieving the Lisbon goals. I want the Foundation to continue to play a part in meeting these objectives,’ announced Willy Buschak, the Foundation’s Acting Director, at a recent meeting outlining the work programme for the coming year. ‘The need to re-define the European Social Model, the socio-economic perspective of a new European constitution, and the increased necessity to compare socio-economic indicators between the EU, USA and Asia, will all provide huge challenges and opportunities for the Foundation in 2004 and beyond.’ The work programme acts as a guide for what will be achieved by the Foundation in the coming year. The Foundation’s Administrative Board unanimously approved the 2004 work programme on 24 October.
Upgrading Eurofound
During 2004, it is planned to carry out a general overhaul of Eurofound, the Foundation’s website, to better suit the users’ information needs. This follows findings from the 2003 web user survey which highlighted the need for the Foundation to improve access to its information sources and provide improved search facilities.
The web user survey represents the final stage in evaluating how the Foundation and its work is perceived by its stakeholders and target audiences, a process which began with an external evaluation carried out by management consultant Deloitte & Touche in October 2002.
‘Many people still do not know about the Foundation and its work, at least not as many as we want,’ commented Willy Buschak on the preliminary findings of the survey. ‘More worrying is the fact that when they do know about us, they do not use our information in the way we would like them to.’
Strategic information campaigns
One approach to tackling this information gap is to promote Foundation publications and events as part of focused information campaigns throughout the year. Aimed at increasing knowledge, data and analysis on topics pertinent to the European political social agenda, the campaigns should provide a coherent and streamlined perspective to the myriad of Foundation research on issues of social concern.
‘On 23 October 2003, the Foundation published the Working conditions in the acceding and candidate countries (ACC) report, kicking off the information campaign on living and working conditions in the new enlarged Europe,’ explains Elisabeth Lagerlöf, Head of Information and Communication. In February 2004, a comprehensive report based on the Eurobarometer survey of living conditions in the ACC will be published. In March, the Foundation will host a conference to promote social dialogue as a tool for conflict resolution in the ACC.
In May 2004, the results of the 28-country pan-European quality of life monitoring initiative will be made available, marking the start of the quality of life theme to continue for the rest of 2004.
Updating European Works Councils
While the European Industrial Relations Observatory(EIRO) will be expanded to include the new Member States plus Norway and Switzerland, the Foundation will also update its work on European Works Councils (EWCs) during 2004. A report will be published in the first half of the year, looking at recent new practices and changes in the regulation, and including information about EWCs in the acceding countries.
‘Two current topics for EIRO comparative reports include industrial relations in SMEs and in the public sector, with a particular focus on public utilities,’ says Stavroula Demetriades, research coordinator of the Industrial Relations team. ‘Theme-based reports for 2004 will tackle undeclared work, unskilled work and industrial relations indicators.’ Pay, working time and trade union membership are the topics for 2004’s three EIRO annual updates.
The EU volume of the glossary on industrial relation terms will be launched during the second part of the year, while a report on the quality of industrial relations as well as a series of country profiles will be published in 2004.
Launching the European Working Conditions Observatory
Having established a network of correspondents, integrated existing research on working conditions and started pan-European news reporting online, the Foundation’s new working conditions monitoring tool, the European Working Conditions Observatory, will be officially launched in early 2004 (more information).
The strategic research of the working conditions team during 2004 will focus on the working poor, wages and work organisation and the corresponding impact on companies’ performance and quality of employment. The Foundation will also carry out in-depth studies on time and gender in working conditions in the acceding and candidate countries. Preparations for the next pan-European working conditions survey, covering all 28 EU Member States in 2005, will be completed during 2004.
First EMCC annual conference
The Foundation’s European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC) will extend its reach to include Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2004. During its second full year of operation, the EMCC team will also expand the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) to ensure a follow-up to restructuring announcements at regular intervals.
‘In order to showcase new products, primarily in the sectoral dimension, and to further develop our networks, we will hold our first EMCC annual conference in Brussels next year,’ says Jacques Terrenoire, EMCC’s project coordinator.
With events planned in Austria in March, the Netherlands in June and Lisbon in October, the EMCC Company Network Seminars will continue to examine how businesses across Europe manage diverse factors of change.
Enhanced visibility at EU-level
Consistent efforts to ensure good management and budgetary control have raised the Foundation’s visibility at EU-level over the past couple of years, in particular in the European Parliament and its budgetary committee.
‘The Foundation’s Brussels Liaison Office continues its work of bringing the Foundation’s findings and knowledge to its stakeholders and target audiences,’ says Sylvie Jacquet, head of the Foundation’s Brussels Liaison Office. ‘In 2004, the BLO will focus on its core of strategic-, contact- and content-oriented activities.’