Ward, Terry

This comparative report from the European Restructuring Monitor is based on data from correspondents in 28 EU Member States and Norway. It examines the reasons for the growth in temporary employment contracts across the EU and explores the situation regarding access to social protection for young people on temporary or fixed-term contracts. It reviews the measures put in place in various countries to regulate the use of these contracts – often with a view to encouraging the transition to standard contracts – and finally presents the opinions of the social partners on the issue.

Over the course of 2008 and 2009, the world economy experienced one of the most serious recessions in modern times. In July 2009, 22 million men and women were unemployed throughout Europe, five million more than a year previously. Moreover, the situation may well still have further to play out: experience of previous recessions suggests that the full effect of the downturn upon employment has yet to materialise. Eurofound’s analysis of restructuring and job loss over the past year is collated and reviewed in this, the fourth annual report of the European Restructuring Monitor. Analysing the effects of the recession upon employment, it also looks in detail how particular sectors, countries and occupations have been affected, and examines a range of responses that have been taken to safeguard employment - at the company, Member State and European level.

This report explores the employment impact of globalisation and reviews the attitudes and responses of national governments and the European social partners to this phenomenon. It first looks at the attitudes of the different stakeholders in the 27 Member States of the EU, including Bulgaria and Romania which joined the EU on 1 January 2007, as well as Norway. It then examines the responses of governments, employers and trade unions in these countries to the process of globalisation. Finally, the report gives a brief overview of national surveys of public opinion on globalisation which have been carried out in recent years.

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.