Publications by date - 2007

This report provides some perspectives on the effects of trade liberalisation on the European labour market. For its analysis, it draws on data from the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM), the only EU-wide monitoring instrument available. The 2007 ERM report identifies some of the recent and emerging trends in the current phase of globalisation and provides suggestions on how policy should be re-oriented to address these new circumstances.

The ERM report 2007 Restructuring and employment in the EU: The impact of globalisation argues that the nature and extent of globalisation has so far not had any serious overall negative consequences for aggregate employment in Europe. This report complements the ERM report 2007 with pertinent data from the European Restructuring Monitor (ERM). It provides evidence of restructuring and employment in all 28 countries included in the ERM, i.e. the EU27 and Norway.

E.ON Sverige AB is the second largest energy producer in Sweden and, with about 6,000 employees, is also one of the largest employers in the country. (E.ON Sverige AB was known as Sydkraft AB until 2005; however, the company will be referred to as E.ON Sverige throughout this study in order to avoid confusion.) The structure and occupational profile of E.ON Sverige has seen marked changes over the past decade. After a string of mergers and acquisitions, de-layering and restructuring has taken place to cut costs and increase responsiveness in the drive towards a more customer-focused business.

Eesti Põlevkivi Ltd (EP) is a state-owned company, primarily involved in oil shale mining in the Ida-Virumaa region of Estonia. The company was established in 1920 and was, for many years, the largest employer in Estonia. It continues to have particular relevance for the Ida-Virumaa region as the largest employer, offering higher than average salaries for this part of Estonia and often employing entire ‘family dynasties’. In 1999, EP had 7,034 employees. Today, as a result of restructuring, this number has been reduced to 3,500.

This issue of Foundation Focus looks at families in the light of recent policy developments at EU and national level and based on Foundation research findings in this area. The aim of each issue of the series is to explore a subject of social and economic policy importance and contribute to argument and debate on the key issues shaping the future of living and working conditions in Europe. Subscribe online.

Housing is a fundamental issue that affects the quality of life of citizens as well as being an important indicator of the degree of integration. Successful housing policies play an important role in shaping social policymaking at the local level, affecting the future integration of migrants and their descendants. This report, published jointly with the Council of Europe, presents successful practices and strategies from 20 cities participating in the first module of the European Network of Cities for Local Integration Policies for Migrants (CLIP).

This issue of Foundation Findings deals with work-life balance in Europe. The EU needs to increase employment rates to ensure continued economic growth and promote social inclusion. To do this, it needs to make it easier for individuals to combine their work and family commitments to facilitate people – women in particular – to enter the labour market. Foundation Findings provide pertinent background information and policy pointers for all actors and interested parties engaged in the current European debate on the future of social policy. The contents are based on Foundation research and reflect its autonomous and tripartite structure.

In the context of global competition, it is increasingly relevant to look at Europe’s economic development in a wider perspective. This report gives an overview of the main industrial relations developments in the European Union, Japan and the US in 2005 and 2006. It charts the similarities and trends in industrial relations as well as the differences in basic structures and developments between these three major economies.

Casting the spotlight on the gender dimension in the workplace inevitably leads to an exploration of the different gendered elements of the experience of work in Europe. With this aim in mind, this paper will draw from the findings of the report Gender and working conditions in the European Union (Burchell et al, 2007). In turn, this report is based on secondary analysis of the data from the Foundation’s fourth European Working Conditions Survey, as well as on recently published research from the Eurofound’s observatories – the European Working Conditions Observatory (EWCO) and the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO).

This report examines the extent of occupational segregation by gender and how it impacts on the quality of women’s and men’s working lives. The analysis is based on findings from the fourth European Working Conditions Survey carried out across 31 countries, including the 27 EU Member States. The report highlights differences between men and women in key aspects of job quality, such as working hours, job satisfaction, work–life compatibility and work-related health outcomes. An executive summary is available.

This issue of Foundation Findings deals with flexicurity in Europe. Flexicurity is a policy approach that attempts to combine flexibility of labour markets for employers and security of employment for employees. Foundation Findings provide pertinent background information and policy pointers for all actors and interested parties engaged in the current European debate on the future of social policy. The contents are based on Foundation research and reflect its autonomous and tripartite structure.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Weighing up the pros and cons of mobility; Report calls for active labour market policies; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

This background paper has been drafted to coincide with the hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (November 21st 2007, Brussels) on Women and Violence at work in the European Union. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions has a track record of research on workplace bullying, violence and discrimination going back to the 1990s. These negative aspects of the work experience have in particular been charted in successive waves of the European Working Conditions Survey [EWCS] from 1990/1-2005.

The Foundation has conducted in-depth research into out-of-school childcare, with a particular focus on developments in employment and good practice in the childcare sector. Its research has explored two key aspects of the issue: employment initiatives that support the development of a skilled childcare workforce, and the affordability and sustainability of provision for children living in disadvantaged areas (areas with a high density of households experiencing poverty and deprivation).

This issue of Foundation Findings deals with mobility in Europe. Research shows that ‘long distance mobility is not common: only 18% of Europeans have moved outside their region, while only 4% have ever moved to another Member State and only 3% outside the Union.’ Foundation Findings provide pertinent background information and policy pointers for all actors and interested parties engaged in the current European debate on the future of social policy. The contents are based on Foundation research and reflect its autonomous and tripartite structure.

This report looks at industrial relations systems across 25 EU Member States and seven global economies: Australia, Brazil, China, India, Japan, South Africa and the US. It explores the most significant effects of globalisation, including labour market flexibilisation, increasing labour migration, the rise of atypical employment forms, as well as changes in work content and working conditions. Through an analysis of the various components of industrial relations systems (actors, processes, outcomes and impact), it tries to identify which type of social model may survive in terms of global competition.

This report compares the various flexicurity options across 25 Member States – including models of best practice – while looking at how flexicurity is measured in these countries and identifying the challenges related to its implementation in the different countries. It explores the three pillars of the flexicurity model: social protection, labour market adaptability/flexibility and social inclusion. It also highlights the crucial role played by the social partners in the process.

As a step towards the ambitious challenges set by the Council in spring 2005, the Foundation initiated research to identify innovative company practices and demonstrate how companies are implementing the Lisbon strategy. The research consisted of identifying and analysing company case studies from seven countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and UK). The 104 case examples were organised under six thematic orientations, which reflect key dimensions of the Lisbon strategy.

This report deals with out-of-school care for children of schoolgoing age (between the ages of five and 12 years) in disadvantaged areas. The provision of such care can facilitate women in entering and remaining in the workforce and make a substantial contribution to children’s welfare. In disadvantaged areas, out-of-school care can contribute to tackling poverty and problem behaviour. An executive summary is available.

Louis de Poortere is a Belgian textiles company established in the 1920s, specialising in the manufacture of high-quality carpets for the international market. For many years, it was among the largest employers in the Belgian textiles sector, with approximately 3,000 employees in the 1970s. Mirroring the challenges facing the entire EU textiles sector over the past 20 years, Louis de Poortere has experienced difficulties linked to market liberalisation, globalisation and other factors impacting on the sector. The company had tried to adapt to new market conditions by divesting some of the less profitable parts of its business; despite these efforts, however, the company was declared bankrupt in August 2000.

This third issue for 2007 includes: an overview of current macroeconomic trends and prospects; an overview of the ERM statistics for the third quarter of 2007; a focus on restructuring of Nokia Siemens Networks; and restructuring in Cyprus and Malta.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Spotlight on the commerce and biomedical healthcare sectors; Launch of fieldwork for new European Quality of Life Survey; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Bulgaria over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in the Czech Republic over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Estonia over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Slovenia over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Poland over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Romania over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Slovakia over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Denmark over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Cyprus over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Portugal over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Hungary over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Ireland over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

The Fourth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) was conducted in the autumn of 2005 in 31 countries. An identical questionnaire, translated into the respective languages, was used across all the countries. Extensive quality control processes were undertaken not only in the preparatory phase but also during the data collection and processing stages. As one of these quality control measures, the Foundation decided to implement, for the first time, a qualitative post-test analysison the EWCS, thus combining qualitative methods with quantitative survey research. This post-test analysis was carried out in five countries representing different European realities: Austria, the Czech Republic, Finland, Portugal and the UK. In each of these countries, 20 survey respondents were interviewed.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Lithuania over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Luxembourg over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Malta over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Latvia over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This background paper, prepared for the European Parliament’s public hearing on ‘The Integration of economic migrant workers’ looks at the integration of migrants from countries outside the European Union as a two-way process. There is a need to balance the rights and obligations of both migrants and the receiving society. The receiving society should promote equal opportunities and non-discrimination for migrants in all key life domains, such as employment, education and housing. In return, incoming migrants should respect the fundamental values of the European Union and acquire a basic knowledge of the host society’s language, history and institutions.

This report consists of a comparative analysis and assessment of the responses to the Foundation’s 2001 and 2005 European Working Conditions Surveys. The analysis is also supplemented with information and opinions obtained from national statistical data, along with institutions in the field of labour and social security, the social partners, as well as Romanian civil society organisations. Essentially, the analysis aims to provide an accurate and detailed assessment of the status and evolution of the quality of work and employment in Romania.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Tensions in privatised postal sector; Flexible working can boost performance; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

MG Rover has a history going back to 1906 when the Austin Motor Company opened in Longbridge, in south-west Birmingham. It traded for almost 100 years, under various names, and came to be regarded as a symbol of the UK car manufacturing sector. The company was owned by BMW from 1994 until 2000, when it was sold to Phoenix, a consortium of local businessmen. This company was not successful and eventually closed in April 2005. Almost 6,000 MG Rover workers based at its one site, in Longbridge, were made redundant overnight, and about 7,000 jobs among the company’s suppliers were put at risk.

Although Croatia was not included in the first wave of the Quality of Life survey, the United Nations Development Programme used the EQLS questionnaire to conduct a quality of life survey in Croatia in 2006. The report draws its data from this, as well from other research conducted in Croatia, including data from the Central Bureau of Statistics. The report also underlines areas for policy intervention in each of the quality-of-life domains. This leaflet summarises the main findings of the report.

This background paper from the European Foundation has been drafted to coincide with the European Parliament’s hearing on 12 September 2007 in Brussels on the ‘Role of the minimum wage/minimum income for social inclusion in the EU’. The focus of the paper is on minimum wage provisions in Europe; it represents a brief synthesis of relevant Foundation research, supplemented with OECD/Eurostat data where such data is more up to date. It aims to give, in summary fashion, an overview of developments in minimum wage/minimum income provision at Member State level. It also aims to outline the perspectives of the social partners and provide some pointers regarding current and emerging policy issues.

In a European policy context, the biomedical sector offers a potential for establishing a knowledge base which may contribute to Europe’s competitiveness in the world market. The purpose of this mapping report is to give a concise overview of the biomedical healthcare sector and to identify the main trends and key drivers of change in the industry.

The key objective of this report is to update the inventory of data collection systems on working conditions at national and international level established by INSHT. The main aims are to: establish a repository of working conditions survey-related information as a basis for comparative analysis of survey methodologies, questionnaire design and findings; provide a resource for researchers, policymakers and social partners with a professional interest in working conditions; complement the Foundation’s own European survey data with similar data at national level; build closer links and working relationships with relevant bodies at Member State level; and establish an international network of experts on survey methodology and development.

Since the Foundation was created more than 30 years ago, it has carried out research projects with different purposes and different methodologies. The case study has from the beginning been one of the methods of enquiry used. Case study research in the Foundation has taken many different forms and purposes, reflecting the evolution of the Foundation itself and its aims as a research institution providing information and advice to policymakers in the European Union. The primary aim of this report was to develop a unified methodological approach for case study research in the Foundation based on a set of agreed guidelines for carrying out cross-national case study research.

The research indicates that financial participation can deliver real benefits for employees, enterprises and national economies. However, despite this potential, it remains little used in most Member States, and is very unevenly distributed across the EU. This background paper has updated the Foundation’s research on financial participation using employee data for the first time, from the fourth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS).

Working time arrangements can have a significant bearing on the efficiency and productivity of companies as well as the health, wellbeing and motivation of their employees. This report provides unique insight into the various working time flexibility arrangements currently in place in companies across Europe. It is based on analysing the findings of a large-scale, representative survey carried out in companies with 10 or more employees in 21 European countries in 2004-5. The report looks at whether and how countries differ in their application of flexible working time systems. It analyses the perceived impact of such arrangements on company performance in terms of economic success and employment stability or growth.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Poland in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflects their views on the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Turkey in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflects their views on the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

This second issue for 2007 includes: an overview of current macroeconomic trends and prospects; a focus on restructuring in the commerce sector; and restructuring in Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Malta.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Malta in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Romania in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Slovakia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Slovenia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Lithuania are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Hungary are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for the Czech Republic are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for the UK are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for the Netherlands are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Sweden are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Austria are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Germany are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for France are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

The Foundation project ‘Attractive workplace for all: A contribution to the Lisbon Strategy at company level’ aims at identifying pioneer company practices, policies and agreements and showing how the Lisbon strategy is being implemented on the ground at company level. Examples of innovative company practice were gathered from several Member States. In this report, case examples for Italy are organised under the following six thematic headings: fostering employability; increasing labour market participation of underemployed groups; integration into the labour market of people at risk of exclusion; make work pay, make work attractive; towards a balanced flexibility; and business creation and entrepreneurship.

Denmark is one of the top 20 fishing nations of the world according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Employment in fisheries in Denmark was remarkably constant through most of the 20th century; in 1913 there were estimated to be 12,000 fishermen, and in 1982 11,000. However, from the early 1980s on, the sector was in crisis as a consequence of overexploitation, declining stocks and overcapacity. An ongoing decline in the fleet size, encouraged by the government and the EU via grants for decommissioning, lead to employment levels in 2001 of around 2,000 registered full-time fishermen according to Danish government statistics.

The European Year of Mobility 2006 recognises that geographic and job mobility raises flexibility in the labour market and may contribute to job growth in the European Union. It is frequently claimed that the European Employment Strategy focuses mainly on creating more jobs and less effort is devoted to creating better jobs. A useful measure for the quality of jobs is job satisfaction – one of the major focuses of this research report. In particular, the relationship between job satisfaction and different indicators of labour market mobility are analysed, as both constitute important elements of the European employment strategy.

This fourth annual review from the European Working Conditions Observatory puts the spotlight on four key dimensions of working conditions and quality of work and employment: career and employment, health and well-being at work, skills development and work–life balance. The report outlines relevant legislative and policy developments, and examines trends in the workplace.

In France, the fisheries sector is supported by the state for its important place in the economy of certain coastal areas, particularly Brittany - which has both industrial and artisanal fleets, but also the Mediterranean coast, mainly artisanal. Fishing is a sector that can create employment opportunities in coastal areas where there are few alternatives. In addition, fishing activities play a role in the attractiveness of the coastline from a tourism perspective. It has been estimated that the tourism industry in French coastal areas generates a turnover greater than 20 billion euros.

The Spanish fishing fleet is the biggest in the EU, serving the very strong domestic market for seafood. However, the fishing industry does not contribute greatly to Spain’s GDP – around 0.5%. This, however, is more a reflection of the recent rapid growth of the Spanish economy as a whole than of the significance of the fishing industry per se. Some coastal areas are highly dependent on fishing by EU standards – notably Galicia, on the Atlantic coast of Spain, which has a fisheries dependence of 4.1%, one of the highest in the EU.

Marine fishing is a very small sector within the Dutch economy, with a contribution to GDP of about 0.1%. However, this takes into account the processing sector, which depends as much on imported raw materials as Dutch domestic production. Processing and marketing accounts for about 80% of all employment in the sector, with capture fisheries only accounting for about 15%. The contribution of capture fisheries to the national economy is thus very small: perhaps around 0.02%.

This research aimed at investigating how the high level of observed job mobility relates to social stratification and social class. An obvious assumption would be that intensifying employment mobility has weakened social inequalities across a wide range of life prospects, and social class has become increasingly less meaningful for people in their daily lives. It was with this in mind that the main research question was developed, thus asking whether the increase of job mobility has led to a growing class mobility as well. Or perhaps class remains, despite the gradual disappearance of the ‘job for life’ phenomenon.

This report begins by elaborating upon the different factors that appear to influence the degree to which people change employers. It then formulates a number of hypotheses regarding the influence of biographical characteristics, country characteristics, previous job mobility history, job characteristics, job satisfaction, attitudes towards job mobility and previous geographic mobility history. It then examines whether the hypotheses can be accepted, or should be rejected, on the basis of the data. Finally, some recommendations are made regarding policies of job mobility.

In this report, the effects of two different kinds of long-distance mobility have been analysed: mobility across regions, which occurs within national boundaries, and mobility across countries, which occurs beyond national borders and can be further distinguished as mobility within and outside the EU. Aside from the methodological caveats that need to be made relative to the actual extent of movement, long-distance mobility is generally considered to be an indicator of economic performance and a crucial factor in enhancing overall human capital. From a socio-political point of view, mobility across countries is one of the cornerstones of European integration, and the European Commission itself has often underlined the importance of mobility across European countries in enhancing European social cohesion.

This report aims to investigate the development and implementation of innovative measures designed to foster gender equality in the transport sector. To this end, the report outlines and analyses eight innovative measures that have been taken by national trade unions or other social partner groups in seven countries: Croatia, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom (UK). The common characteristic uniting all of these measures is their central objective of improving gender equality at the workplace in a number of transport subsectors.

This study provides a detailed account of innovative recruitment strategies used in the capture fisheries sector in certain EU Member States. The report is based on research commissioned by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions into the fisheries sector and concentrates on the situation in four EU Member States: Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Spain. Four country reports have been prepared which outline the employment situation and measures to encourage recruitment in each of these Member States.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Pay trends differ across Europe; Building on interagency cooperation; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Lithuania in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Bulgaria in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Cyprus in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Czech Republic in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Croatia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Estonia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Hungary in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The project on Social Dialogue Capacity Building at sectoral and company levels is a follow-up of a similar project held at a national level in 2005. The methodology used included carrying out interviews with members of the nationally recognised representative organisations of employers and employees in the eligible countries – Latvia in this case - and collecting their views of the capacity of their members' organisations. The report reflect their views for the sectoral/branch- and enterprise-level developments.

The European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC) of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, in cooperation with the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee of the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industries, commissioned a research project investigating the management of cyclical changes in the shipbuilding and ship repair industries in ten EU countries. The explicit objective of this research project was to provide the social partners with a point of reference for the handling of cyclical changes by compiling a comprehensive ‘tool box’ of different measures and best practices that have been applied in the ten countries investigated.

The Foundation’s European Working Conditions Surveys (EWCS) have been carried out every five years since 1991. They thus provide a unique insight into the evolution of the conditions of work and employment in the European Union throughout the last 15 years. In late 2005, the Foundation carried out its fourth survey. Almost 30,000 workers were interviewed in 31 European countries, volunteering information on more than 100 questions relating to different aspects of their conditions of work and employment.

This publication contains the annexes to the Annual report 2006. See Annual report 2006.

This report draws a picture of life in present-day Croatia by looking at key indicators of quality of life, such as: the economic situation of households; housing and the local environment; employment and education; health, healthcare and access to health services; household and family size and structure; work–life balance; subjective well-being; the perceived quality of society; and the quality of life of national minorities living in Croatia.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Spotlight on gender and career development; Quality of life in Croatia; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

Industrial relations developments in Europe 2006 highlights the most significant industrial relations developments over the past year – both at national and EU level. It examines the key issues covered by collective bargaining – pay, working time, job security, training, and equal opportunities – and looks at developments in the area of social partner activity, industrial action, cross-border activity and reconciliation of work,family and private life. A special thematic chapter explores the theme of gender and career development, looking in particular at workplace segregation, the underrespresentation of women in managerial posts and the prevalence of women’s involvement in part-time work.

In the United Kingdom, out-of-school care provision has expanded to meet increased demand. It is largely a success story demonstrating that a broad societal agreement about the need for, and value of, out-of-school care can be translated into a widespread reality in a relatively short period of time.

In Portugal, the growth of out-of-school care in disadvantaged areas has taken place along two main lines: the development of compulsory out-of-school care services in primary schools and the development, since the mid-eighties, of publicly-subsidised NGOs working - and projects put in place - in disadvantaged areas. There has been some development of out-of-school care services at the council level as well. In spite of these developments, there is still insufficient coverage of out-of-school care services for children and young people in disadvantaged areas.

In both the French and Flemish communities of Belgium, out-of-school care forms part of a general policy geared towards all school-age children, and is backed up by assisted accessibility measures, mainly regarding the financial contributions from parents. However, checks still have to be carried out to establish whether access really is available in all zones, deprived or otherwise.

Out-of-school care activities for children aged 6-12 years in the disadvantaged regions and localities is the same as in all other regions in the Czech Republic and there are no special facilities or services. However, the existing facilities are funded by the state, region, city and local councils. In the disadvantaged regions there are programs and projects aimed at specific disadvantaged groups.

Hobby schools form the main type of out-of-school care in Estonia. Hobby school activities are regulated by the Ministry of Education which provides a common curriculum and certifies instructors. They are supervised by the government and receive most of their funding from municipal governments. Hobby education is a field of youth work that enables young people to participate in extra curricular activities which facilitate their development in different fields outside formal education and work.

In Germany, the out-of-school care system consists of various types of services, many of which are locally based or run by voluntary organisations, and there are no figures on general coverage available. For West Germany it can be estimated that currently still only a minority of children participate in out-of-school care.

Out-of-school care for children is a vital component of the economic and social development of any area; it plays a particularly crucial role in disadvantaged areas and for disadvantaged groups and households who live in otherwise advantaged areas. The provision of out-of-school care can help address the social, economic and health issues that such disadvantaged households face, and support the social integration of excluded groups. A report is available.

This research report focuses on migration intentions of Europeans and investigates the main determinants of these intentions. The main advantage of studying mobility intentions – rather than studying migrants in their destination country – is that this approach is not biased by selectivity issues. There is indeed a large body of literature showing that migrants self-select in labour markets where their return-to-skills is expected to be larger. Moreover, literature suggests that it is not simply mobility that is of interest in socioeconomic models, but the potential for mobility.

The Foundation’s research into quality of life in Turkey is largely based on findings from the EQLS, supplemented by national data, academic surveys and related social science studies. The research offers a comparison of the social circumstances of people in Turkey with those in the ‘old’ EU15 Member States, the 10 new Member States admitted in 2004, and with Turkey’s neighbours Bulgaria and Romania, who joined the EU at the beginning of 2007.

This timely report draws on some of the findings of the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), along with other pieces of key research, on issues affecting quality of life in the candidate country, Turkey. Never before has a candidate country as unique and diverse as Turkey raised such interesting challenges for the EU. A country of contrasts, Turkey embraces many anomalies which are increasingly being placed under the spotlight, given its EU candidacy status.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Turkey at the crossroads; Migrants in Europe face severe challenges; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

This report analyses the data from the Company Survey on Working Time 2004–2005 to address the issue of extended and unusual working hours, by exploring all aspects of what may be called ‘non-standard working hours’: the extension of working hours through overtime, working at ‘unusual’ times beyond traditional societal standards (such as the ‘9 to 5’ norm), and varying time schedules over the week, month or year involving ‘changing’ working hours. It examines in greater detail the incidence and effects of such working hours across countries, sectors and companies.

This issue of Foundation Focus places the spotlight on equal opportunities, viewed in the light of recent policy developments at EU and national level and based on Foundation research findings in this area. The aim of the series is to explore a subject of social and economic policy importance and contribute to argument and debate on the key issues shaping the future of living and working conditions in Europe. Subscribe online.

The Foundation project 'Promoting quality of life in rural Europe' aimed at documenting the relationship between social capital and economic development, with a specific focus on job creation in rural areas. The research set out to identify examples of how local and regional authorities, social partners and NGOs in selected countries developed initiatives to foster job creation and make policy recommendations at local, regional, national and EU level on the basis of these findings. This report outlines the policy background to the research and makes a number of policy recommendations in terms of good practice in promoting job creation in rural areas. The research covered 10 countries.

The pressures of globalisation and demographic change increasingly made their mark as the European Union prepared to further expand its borders to Bulgaria and Romania during 2006. Policymakers at EU and national level face into important decisions on issues related to migration, employment, education, equal opportunities and social policy. On all these issues and more, the Foundation provided cutting edge knowledge and information during 2006. See Annexes.

The findings of a 2005 study by the Labour Institute (INE) of the Greek General Confederation of Labour (GSEE) and the Confederation of Public Servants (ADEDY) reveal significant problems in Greece as regards the implementation of legislation on health and safety at work. Risk prevention measures and safety and health practices are being ignored, while levels of monitoring are also inadequate. Moreover, many workers and managers are unaware of the relevant legislation, which is outdated and excessively complex in many cases. Infringement of normal working hours and illegal and/or legal overtime, as well as tight deadlines, have increased the levels of accidents in the workplace in recent years. The report recommends financial incentives and penalties, in addition to awareness-raising campaigns, to ensure greater compliance with health and safety legislation.

The latest population time use survey indicates changes in the profile of time use in Latvia in 2003, compared with 1996. In 2003, all workers used a greater part of the total weekly time budget (168 hours) for personal care and sleep; however, men spent a greater part of the total time in paid work. Moreover, there was an increase in travel or commuting time. The survey also shows differences in time use between those in paid employment and others, according to sex and geographical location. Time use surveys are primarily a quality of life indicator, but they also contain useful data regarding working conditions.

The profound changes experienced by rural areas in Europe over the past couple of decades have resulted in obvious disadvantages: loss of employment due to changes in the agricultural sector, migration of young people towards urban centres, leading to a demographic imbalance, and insufficient population and infrastructural density to support economic development and entrepreneurial activity. However, one resource that rural areas may be able to draw upon is their ‘social capital’: the interaction of individuals participating and communicating in formal or informal networks in which higher levels of trust develop. It has been recognised that social capital can play a role in stimulating and fostering entrepreneurial activity, and hence facilitate job creation.

This report summarises the main findings of the survey as presented in the reports and explores the implications of these findings for EU policy, along with challenges for future policies. Among the more interesting findings are the perception of strong social support networks across Europe, the differences in levels of satisfaction both within and between countries, and the variation in perceived sources of tension in EU countries. Another key finding is the significant impact of social circumstances on perceived quality of life – for example, the strong influence that individual income levels, as well as national prosperity levels, appear to have on subjective well-being.

This first issue for 2007 covers: Summary of current macroeconomic trends and prospects; Overview of the ERM statistics 1st quarter 2007; Restructuring at Alcatel-Lucent; Restructuring at AIRBUS; Restructuring in Cyprus and Malta; Note on methodology.

The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, formerly the National Institute of Occupational Health, has conducted the fourth Danish Work Environment Cohort Study (DWECS) covering the five-year period 2000–2005. The 2005 results indicate no clear trend of overall better or worse conditions for workers. Nevertheless, an increase in psychosocial demands at the workplace has been identified, such as a high pace of work, a demanding workload and emotional demands. Conversely, the study also reveals increases in decision latitude, better future prospects in the job and more support for workers from superiors. However, considerable differences among workers persist in relation to jobs, sectors and gender.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Low levels of migration predicted; Increase in telework across Europe; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

This report presents a comparison of national industrial relations systems in the EU25, exploring the differences between individual systems and their effects on the economy. The report is based on the more detailed findings of a research project entitled ‘Quality of industrial relations: Comparative industrial relations country profiles in the EU Member States’, commissioned by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The report summarises findings from the country profiles of the industrial relations features observed among each of the 25 EU Member States, which were compiled as part of the aforementioned project. The data include facts and figures, links to sources, along with an overview of the main industrial relations features, actors, processes and outcomes. The aim of the study is to provide a more comprehensive understanding, across national frontiers, of the various industrial relations systems across Europe.

This report addresses the key issue of time use and work–life options over the life course. The report aims to contribute to current debates on the subject, placing them in the wider context of 25 European countries and viewing them from a life course perspective. It considers the ways in which the institutional and policy framework can be expected to affect actual and preferred patterns of time use over the life course, focusing on distinct stages of the life course. It investigates individuals’ views on available working time options, while exploring their preferences regarding measures designed to help them reconcile their different time-demanding commitments.

This report reveals how widespread part-time employment has become as a working arrangement in many parts of Europe. It looks at the national policies influencing part-time employment and the possible impact of this type of work organisation on labour market flexibility. It also examines the variations in the take-up of part-time work between men and women, as well as profiling part-time workers in terms of pay, career prospects and sectoral distribution. In doing so, the report analyses the effects of this working time arrangement on overall work–life balance.

This EMCC Company Network Seminar was organised jointly by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). This seminar report summarises the seminar conclusions and highlights how individuals, companies and policymakers can act to develop schemes that simultaneously promote workers’ mobility and develop their skills.

This analytical report addresses the important question concerning the extent to which quality of work influences people’s overall quality of life. More specifically, the report undertakes a detailed analysis of how working conditions, job satisfaction and work–life balance affect life satisfaction. Central to this analysis is describing how the characteristics of the work situation affect people’s subjective life satisfaction. In doing so, the report reaches some significant conclusions, in particular the strong correlation between working conditions and job satisfaction, which in turn is shown to affect people’s overall life satisfaction.

This comparative study examines the issue of gender and career development and explores the continuing barriers to achieving equality of opportunity in this area. Looking at the current European Union countries (with the exception of Sweden) and Norway, the study explores the extent to which career patterns are changing in response to the restructuring of work and organisations and how this impacts on women’s career experiences. It also examines the attitudes of the social partners regarding gender and career development.

The study aims to provide new information on the impact of new governance tools on the different actors of the European system of industrial relations – European institutions, governments and European social partners. Furthermore, it endeavours to: promote awareness and understanding of the new forms of governance and their impact on the different levels of industrial relations in the European Union; contribute to the ongoing debate on the Europeanisation of industrial relations in the context of the modernisation of employment relations and the evolving role of the social partners in an enlarged EU, especially against the background of the Lisbon agenda; contribute to the transparency of the results of new forms of governance in European industrial relations; and examine the interrelationship between the different levels of industrial relations as well as between different tools of new governance, such as European social dialogue and the open method of coordination.

At European level, the debate on flexicurity is currently high on the employment and social policy agenda. Member States are reflecting on the best way to adapt their systems to the ‘new reality’ of maintaining the balance between the need for flexibility in the labour market to allow companies to adapt their production methods and their workforce as a result of pressure from globalisation and technological progress while providing the necessary security for workers at the same time. This background paper was prepared for a hearing on the Commission’s Green Paper ‘Modernising labour law to meet the challenges of the 21st century’ held by the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on 21 March 2007.

Risks to health in the workplace and occupational accidents and diseases have declined significantly in Poland in the 15 years from 1991 to 2005. Nevertheless, there are still a number of risk factors prevailing, with certain sectors being particularly vulnerable. At least 12% of the workforce is working under hazardous conditions and the total is probably even higher, as no data are available for privately owned farms and for enterprises with fewer than 10 employees: these are thought to be among the high risk categories. Due to the surplus of labour supply available, some employers put a high priority on competitiveness and disregard the issue of safety. However, there are signs that this situation is changing, at least in some sectors. The Central Statistical Office survey for 2005 also gathered data on risk prevention.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Youth and work; Extended and unusual working hours; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

The unemployment benefit systems were established at quite different times in the various European countries. In the new Member States, these systems are a fairly recent phenomenon. In some countries, the role of employees and employers in the system has remained of major importance, while in others this function has partly or fully been taken over by the state. This comparative study examines the different forms of unemployment benefit systems, the degree of social partner involvement in various countries, and the consequences of these forms of involvement. The study covers 13 of the 15 ‘old’ EU Member States except Portugal and Luxembourg, as well as a sample of the new Member States – Cyprus, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia – and also includes Norway.

Increasingly, corporate decision-making takes place at transnational level; however, employees’ rights to information and consultation are still defined at national level. To bridge this gap, a 1994 Directive was adopted, aimed at promoting voluntary agreements on the constitution and operation of European works councils (EWCs). These EWCs would bring together employee representatives from each European country in which a multinational company has operations, in order to facilitate information disclosure and consultation with group-level management.

This study examines the employment situation of young people in 26 European countries, looking at unemployment data, the regulatory framework and programmes at national level specifically targeted at raising employment levels. The study also presents the role and views of the social partners and highlights the main issues for policy consideration. It is based on national reports on the subject, drawn up on the basis of a questionnaire, available on the Foundation’s website.

The Foundation’s Company Survey on Working Time and Work–Life Balance 2004–2005 set out to map the use of a variety of working time arrangements in companies, to assess the reasons for their introduction and their impact. This analytical report addresses the issue of parental leave as well as other forms of extended leave, such as leave to care for sick children or other adult family members. It offers a comparative review of the different national parental leave systems in operation, the differential use of parental leave by women and men across the 21 European countries and a discussion of the factors which influence take-up of parental leave by employees.

The Foundation’s Company Survey on Working Time and Work–Life Balance 2004–2005 set out to map the use of a variety of working time arrangements in companies, to assess the reasons for their introduction and their impact. This report analyses the data from the survey to address the issue of phased or early retirement, exploring the institutional frameworks of these schemes as well as the influencing factors specific to the establishment. Apart from the issue of whether such schemes are available in the companies examined, the analysis also provides information on the proportion of employees eligible for early or phased retirement and the reasons for making use of such schemes. The deployment of both schemes is examined from a management and employee representative perspective.

EU policymakers recognise that improving working conditions is crucial to achieving a better quality of work, greater productivity and increased employment – the Lisbon objectives. In this context, the Foundation’s European Working Conditions Surveys, conducted every five years, have been providing a valuable insight into key aspects of work since 1990. This report analyses the findings of the fourth European Working Conditions Survey, carried out in autumn 2005 across 31 countries, including the 27 EU Member States. Based on workers’ responses, it paints a broad and varied picture of the physical, intellectual and psychological dimensions of work and its impact on personal fulfilment and work-life balance.

This report follows on from a 2006 Foundation study into local integration policies for immigrants in Europe, Integration of migrants: Contribution of local and regional authorities, which investigated the concept of integration. The report describes the historical and institutional factors which shaped migration policy in 12 EU Member States and analyses local integration policies in 14 European cities. While it points to the very different migration histories and patterns in different European countries and cities and the distinctive ways of implementing concrete integration measures, it identifies areas of common experience and practice. The report concludes that there is no single European integration model, and recommends taking good practice measures based on joint experience to develop a more effective and targeted integration policy.

Syros Shipyards, currently known as Syros Shipbuilding and Industrial Enterprises, was founded in 1861, making it the oldest shipyard in Greece. It was privatised in 1994 and is now part of Neorion Holding S.A., a company that owns shipyards in both Syros and Elefsis. The European shipbuilding industry has been in severe crisis for several decades because of competition with low labour cost countries and, more recently, because of the high exchange value of the euro. In Greece, additional challenges include an ageing workforce and inflexible labour relations. Over a twenty year period the number of employees in the whole Greek shipbuilding industry has dropped from about 10,000 employees to 3,500.

The Spanish company Telefónica is one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies with a strong presence in Europe, Africa and Latin America. In June 2006, it had around 220,000 employees, representing a growth of 23.5 per cent compared with the previous year. This growth was partly an effect of changes in the accountancy consolidation perimeter relating to its Atento group subsidiary. The worldwide spread of Telefónica presents major challenges for the development of a human resources policy capable of meeting the needs of every individual employee.

The Bank of Cyprus Public Company Ltd. was founded in 1899 and is the holding company of the Bank of Cyprus Group. The Bank is the leading financial services organisation in Cyprus and operates 115 branches in Greece. It is also well established in the United Kingdom, where it operates six branches. The Group’s international activities were extended in 2000 with the opening of a wholly owned subsidiary bank in Australia, which operates ten branches. The bank also has representative offices in the USA, Canada, South Africa, Russia and Romania. It offers a wide range of financial products and services, including financing, leasing, factoring, brokerage, fund management, general and life insurance. It employed 6,100 staff worldwide in August 2006, most of whom were white-collar workers.

Electricité de France (EDF) is a leading player in the European energy market. With a generation capacity of 130 GWe (of which 99 GWe is generated on French territory), it has the largest generation fleet in Europe. EDF operates in all sectors of the electricity industry. This includes both the deregulated activities of generation, supply and trading, and the regulated activities of transmission and distribution. The Group's primary market is France, but it has a solid presence in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy, as well as subsidiaries in Spain, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Despite EU-wide statutory rights to parental leave, big differences still exist; Increased business confidence gives boost to Europe’s labour markets; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

Competitive Europe – Social Europe: Partners or rivals? was the theme of the Foundation Forum held on 1-3 November 2006. This special edition summarises the speeches of key speakers such as Bertie Ahern, Jeremy Rifkin and Hans-Werner Sinn, among others. It also gives an overview of the various debates, workshops and open forum discussions that took place during the two days.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in France over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in the United Kingdom over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Greece over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Sweden over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This quality report describes the various quality aspects of the 4th European working conditions survey in 31 European countries. It is based on reports dispatched from the coordinating organisation to the Foundation, on site audits and on the dataset itself. The primary aim of this document is to describe in some detail the six quality dimensions of the 4th EWC survey data so that users can make the best use of this data for their purposes.

In spring 2006, the Congress of local and regional authorities of the Council of Europe, the City of Stuttgart and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions created a European network of Cities for Local Integration Policies for Migrants (CLIP). With this joint initiative the Foundation continues its longstanding activity in the field of social inclusion.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Belgium over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

The EWCO seminar on job satisfaction held in Helsinki, Finland on 9–10 November was an opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking between EWCO national correspondents, Finnish authorities and social partners. The key issues raised and insights provided at the seminar are highlighted in this summary, giving a flavour of the lively debate which took place.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Spain over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Finland over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Germany over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Italy over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in the Netherlands over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This issue contains the following articles: Director's diary; Ambitious new work programme for 2007; Introducing the Foundation’s new chair of the board; In brief; and Latest events and publications.

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Austria over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice at the company level; characteristics of particularly successful measures/policies; key lessons that can be drawn from implementing measures and initiatives; future issues concerning age-management raised at company level; development of national policy concerning an ageing workforce; relevant actions of social partners and other key actors: policies and practices; and, finally, the status of the issue of older workers in current policy and public debates: identification of future issues.

This report provides a comparative overview of teamwork, based on the European Working Conditions Surveys and 16 national contributions to a questionnaire. It considers how teamwork has developed as a new form of work organisation and takes into account the context at national and company level. The study assesses the positive and negative influence of teamwork on diverse aspects of working conditions, such as job autonomy, job satisfaction, work intensity, productivity and the learning environment. It also investigates the prevalence of teamwork according to various factors including sex, sector and occupation. The national contributions from the following 16 countries are available: Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

This is a report of a conference held in Helsinki 2–3 October 2006, organised by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, in cooperation with the National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health (STAKES) and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH). The conference drew on the findings of a major research report published by the European Foundation ‘Employment in social care in Europe’ which is downloadable free of charge from the Foundation’s website (http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef05125.htm).

This fourth issue of the ERM quarterly includes: current macroeconomic trends, according to the World Bank; an overview of ERM statistics for the fourth quarter 2006; restructuring at Volkswagen and at EADS, the leading European aerospace and defence group; and, for the first time, a separate section on restructuring in Cyprus and Malta.

The research topics for 2007 fall within the broader strategic research themes of the four-year programme 2005–2008 and some of them carry forward work from 2006. Equal opportunities is a priority in 2007 in light of the fact that 2007 is the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All. Flexicurity will also be a priority area of activity. Taking into consideration the stakeholders’ interests, the EU policy agenda and the strategic direction of the Foundation, the priority topical research and communication areas for 2007 are: effects and challenges of globalisation on structural change, company strategies, employment, work and quality of life in Europe; mobility, migration and integration of migrants; future trends, challenges and prospects in social partnerships: globalisation, adaptability, governance, employment development, flexicurity and employabilit; quality of work, workplace developments: innovation, productivity, attractive workplace, working conditions and structural and quality changes in jobs; diversity, equal opportunities and work–life balance; demographic change, young and ageing workforce, reorganisation of work over the life course.

This report looks at case studies of EWC practice in companies located in four new Member States – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia – in the context of EU enlargement. It investigates the impact of EWC participation on industrial relations in the NMS, considers how EWCs differ in the political and institutional traditions of the NMS, and evaluates the factors that enable EWCs to respond more effectively to the challenges of intracompany competition, relocation and restructuring.

This report focuses on the role that EWCs play in influencing the handling of transnational restructuring. It analyses EWC agreements and relevant joint texts to assess how well equipped EWCs are to address the issue of restructuring. It looks at the kind of input EWCs make in practice and highlights the factors that appear to play an important role in favouring or hindering their involvement in transnational restructuring.

This analytical report addresses the interesting theme of participation in civil society, exploring the diverse range of activities that constitute active participation. A central part of the analysis involves identifying factors that influence participation, or in other words understanding why some people are active in civil society and why others are not. In doing so, it underlines that wide range of factors – from individual to national resources and from sociological to historical influences – that determine the level and type of participation.