Publications by type - Eurofound's annual reports - 2011

With a particular focus on the crisis and responses to it, this annual review highlights developments in working conditions and industrial relations in the EU Member States and Norway in 2010, both at national and EU level. At national level, the report examines key issues covered by collective bargaining (pay and working time) and looks at developments in social partner activity and industrial action. It also looks at company restructuring, the impact of the crisis and approaches to pension reform in light of demographic change. At European level, it reviews the year’s main events and trends in employment legislation and policy (in areas like paternity/maternity leave and working time), as well as in the European social dialogue at crosssectoral, sectoral and company levels. The final chapter focuses on training initiatives provided or supported by enterprises for their employees during the recession.

This second annual Yearbook on Living and working in Europe 2010 aims to convey the main findings of some of Eurofound's key currents of research – in particular, results and analysis from its three pan-European surveys on company practices, working conditions and quality of life. All the surveys now enable us to paint some pictures of trends over time, crucial for understanding how Europe is developing and the changing challenges it is encountering. Not least among these challenges is the creation of a truly multicultural European society, a task being undertaken daily by both majority and minority communities. As detailed in last year’s publication, European governments and social partners are still dealing with the effects of the economic crisis; in many countries, short-time working schemes were extended or introduced as one response. Eurofound’s Yearbook also outlines how such responses to the crisis may also provide an opportunity, highlighting ways of adapting such schemes to combine both greater flexibility and greater security. Such adaptation can only take place with the cooperation of the social partners: the Yearbook 2010 looks at how both trade unions and employer organisations are adapting to meet the challenges of changing times.

This is the annual activity report of the Authorising Officer for the year 2010. The report describes Eurofound's activities, particularly its research and information and communication programmes, in relation to the objectives set in the Work Programme 2010.