labour_and_social_regulation.jpg

Labour and social regulation

Labour and social regulation covers the legal framework and fundamental social rights that regulates industrial relations, employment and social policies across Europe. It includes national, EU and international legislation.  Union labour law has a direct or indirect impact on the normative and functional frameworks of individual and collective labour law systems of the Member States in a relationship of mutual interference and interaction.  Increasingly Union labour laws are also shaped by agreements that the parties voluntarily enter into and by soft law mechanisms.  The reform or modernising of labour law is currently high on the agenda in several Member States.

Topic

Recent updates

ef22011_card_cover.png

Υβριδική εργασία στην Ευρώπη: η έννοια και η εφαρμογή στην πράξη

Ο όρος "υβριδική εργασία" έγινε ευρύτερα γνωστός με την αύξηση της τηλεργασίας κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19, καθώς οι επιχειρήσεις και οι εργαζόμενοι ξεκίνησαν συζητήσεις σχετικά με τους τρόπους...

25 Μάιος 2023
Publication
Research report

Eurofound research

Eurofound has monitored legislative developments in industrial relations, working conditions and restructuring in Europe over time and from a comparative perspective across the Member States. The Agency’s work in this area seeks to assist decision-makers to better understand the legal framework for creating policy. It has also put resources in place to assist audiences in understanding the sometimes complex and difficult terminology used.

EU context

This topic covers the legal framework that regulates industrial relations and employment across Europe, including EU legislation and the fundamental labour standards that need to be taken into account.

Legislation is crucial in shaping how Europeans work and live. It is the basis for ensuring better working conditions, equitable labour relations, and equal opportunities for all citizens.

Publications results (81)

Το δικαίωμα στην αποσύνδεση από την εργασία: εφαρμογή και αντίκτυπος σε επίπεδο επιχειρήσεων

This report explores EU Member States’ legislation around the right to disconnect and assesses the impact of company policies in this area on employees’ hours of connection, working time, work–life balance, health and well-being, and overall workplace satisfaction.

30 November 2023
Publication
Research report
Χρόνος εργασίας
Ισορροπία μεταξύ επαγγελματικής και προσωπικής ζωής
Συνθήκες εργασίας και βιώσιμη εργασία
Τηλεργασία
Working conditions
Agreements
Labour and social regulation
ef22011_card_cover.png

Υβριδική εργασία στην Ευρώπη: η έννοια και η εφαρμογή στην πράξη

Ο όρος "υβριδική εργασία" έγινε ευρύτερα γνωστός με την αύξηση της τηλεργασίας κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19, καθώς οι επιχειρήσεις και οι εργαζόμενοι ξεκίνησαν συζητήσεις σχετικά με τους τρόπους οργάνωσης της εργασίας μετά την κρίση. Ο όρος χρησιμοποιείται ολοένα και περισσότερο για να

25 May 2023
Publication
Research report
Συνθήκες εργασίας και βιώσιμη εργασία
Τηλεργασία
Work organisation
Labour and social regulation
ef22005_card_cover.png

Αύξηση της τηλεργασίας: ο αντίκτυπος στις συνθήκες εργασίας και στους κανονισμούς

Η παρούσα έκθεση παρουσιάζει την έρευνα του Eurofound σχετικά με την τηλεργασία κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19 το 2020 και το 2021. Διερευνά τις αλλαγές στη συχνότητα της τηλεργασίας, τις συνθήκες εργασίας των υπαλλήλων που εργάζονται από το σπίτι και τις αλλαγές στους κανονισμούς για την

08 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Νέες μορφές απασχόλησης
Συνθήκες εργασίας και βιώσιμη εργασία
Working conditions
Τηλεργασία
Employment relationship
COVID-19
Η ψηφιακή εποχή: ευκαιρίες και προκλήσεις για την εργασία και την απασχόληση
Labour and social regulation
Χρόνος εργασίας
ef22064_card_cover.png

Ρύθμιση των κατώτατων μισθών και των λοιπών αμοιβών για τους αυτοαπασχολουμένους

Η παρούσα έκθεση εκπονείται στο πλαίσιο του τριετούς πιλοτικού έργου (2021-2023), με τίτλο «Ο ρόλος του κατώτατου μισθού στη θέσπιση της παγκόσμιας εγγύησης εργασίας», το οποίο ανατέθηκε στο Eurofound κατόπιν εντολής της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής. Εστιάζει στην ενότητα 3 του έργου, η οποία διερευνά τους

30 November 2022
Publication
Research report
Αμοιβή και εισόδημα
Κατώτατες αποδοχές
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Εργασιακές σχέσεις και κοινωνικός διάλογος
Εργασιακές σχέσεις
ef22032_card_cover.png

Η τηλεργασία στην ΕΕ: Ρυθμιστικά πλαίσια και πρόσφατες επικαιροποιήσεις

Η παρούσα έκθεση αποσκοπεί στη χαρτογράφηση και την ανάλυση της νομοθεσίας και των συλλογικών διαπραγματεύσεων για την τηλεργασία στα 27 κράτη μέλη και στη Νορβηγία. Επισημαίνει τις κύριες διαφορές και ομοιότητες μεταξύ των χωρών σε ό,τι αφορά τη νομοθεσία για την τηλεργασία καθώς και τις πρόσφατες

01 September 2022
Publication
Research report
Χρόνος εργασίας
Working conditions
Τηλεργασία
Ισορροπία μεταξύ επαγγελματικής και προσωπικής ζωής
Work organisation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Εργασιακές σχέσεις και κοινωνικός διάλογος
Εργασιακές σχέσεις
ef22040_card_cover.png

Οι κατώτατοι μισθοί το 2022: Ετήσια αναθεώρηση

Μετά από έναν κύκλο συντηρητικών παρεμβάσεων όσον αφορά τον καθορισμό των κατώτατων μισθών για το 2021, οι ονομαστικές τιμές των μισθών αυξήθηκαν σημαντικά για το 2022 και, παράλληλα, οι αρνητικές συνέπειες της πανδημίας μειώθηκαν και οι οικονομίες και οι αγορές εργασίας παρουσίασαν σημάδια

15 June 2022
Publication
Research report
Κοινωνικός διάλογος
Social partners
Αμοιβή και εισόδημα
Κατώτατες αποδοχές
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Εργασιακές σχέσεις και κοινωνικός διάλογος
Εργασιακές σχέσεις
ef22038_card_cover.png

Ethics in the digital workplace

Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns. Recently, the policy debate surrounding these concerns has become more prominent and has

30 May 2022
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Social policies
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
Job quality
ef22048_card_cover.png

Working life in the COVID-19 pandemic 2021

This publication consists of individual country reports on working life during 2021 for 28 countries – the 27 EU Member States and Norway. The country reports summarise evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working life based on national research and survey results during 2021. They

19 May 2022
Publication
Other
Social dialogue
Social partners
Pay and income
Working time
Working conditions
COVID-19
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
ef21015_card_cover.png

Οι κατώτατοι μισθοί το 2021: Ετήσια αναθεώρηση

Η παρούσα έκθεση συνοψίζει τον τρόπο καθορισμού των κατώτατων μισθών για το 2021 κατά τη διάρκεια του 2020, ενός έτους που σηματοδοτήθηκε από την πανδημία της νόσου COVID-19. Εξετάζει τις δυσκολίες που αντιμετώπισαν οι εθνικοί φορείς λήψης αποφάσεων και τον τρόπο με τον οποίο αντέδρασαν στις

10 June 2021
Publication
Research report
Κοινωνικός διάλογος
Social partners
Αμοιβή και εισόδημα
Working poor
Κατώτατες αποδοχές
European Pillar of Social Rights
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Εργασιακές σχέσεις και κοινωνικός διάλογος
ef20013_card_cover.png

Αναπηρία και ένταξη στην αγορά εργασίας: Τάσεις πολιτικής και στήριξη στα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ

Στην παρούσα έκθεση εξετάζονται οι εξελίξεις στις πολιτικές που ασκούν τα κράτη μέλη της ΕΕ με σκοπό να υποστηρίξουν την ένταξη των ατόμων με αναπηρία στην ανοιχτή αγορά εργασίας, με έμφαση στα στάδια της πρόσληψης, της παραμονής στην εργασίας και της επιστροφής στην εργασία μετά από ασθένεια. Στην

19 April 2021
Publication
Research report
Social policies
Δημόσιες υπηρεσίες
Working conditions
European Pillar of Social Rights
COVID-19
Disability and chronic disease
Labour market policies
Labour market participation
Συνθήκες διαβίωσης και ποιότητα ζωής
Labour and social regulation
Online resources results (793)

Sweden: No signs of lowered entry-level wages in 2016 bargaining round

In preparation for the 2016 wage bargaining round, debates on how to reduce unemployment among low-skilled workers and new immigrants dominated the news in Sweden. Suggestions included lowering minimum wages and introducing so-called ‘simple jobs’. However, the debates had little impact on the

15 Ιούνιος 2016
Article
Working poor
Labour market policies
Unemployment
Collective bargaining
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EU-Level: Posted workers proposal gets 'yellow card' from Member States

The future of an EU Commission proposal to revise the posted workers Directive is now uncertain after 10 Member States opposed it. This has triggered a ‘yellow card’ procedure, which will require the Commission to review the text. Employers’ federation BusinessEurope supports the 10 Member States

10 Ιούνιος 2016
Article
Posted workers
Labour law
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Greece: The third memorandum’s plans for public administration

The third Memorandum of Understanding for Greece came into force from January 2016, which sets out measures that the government will have to implement before the end of 2018. These include tax policy reform, a more sustainable pension system, and improved management of health sector finances.

30 Μάιος 2016
Article
Pay and income
Structural change
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The Netherlands: Parliamentary debate on collective bargaining and extension of collective agreements

On 4 February 2016, a parliamentary debate took place initiated by liberal parties VVD and D66 on issues regarding the collective bargaining system and the extension of agreements, which they believe distorts the labour market.

25 Μάιος 2016
Article
Skills and training
Collective bargaining
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Slovenia: Employers withdraw from social agreement for 2015–2016

Slovenian employer organisations withdrew from the 2015–2016 social agreement at the end of November 2015, after Parliament approved amendments to the law on the minimum wage. Employers said the government had acted unacceptably and arbitrarily in making the changes. Trade unions, however, argue

23 Μάιος 2016
Article
Agreements
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

United Kingdom: Tighter statutory regulation of trade union activities approved by Parliament

The Conservative government’s Trade Union Act was passed in May 2016, introducing more stringent rules for strike ballots and industrial action. It also changes the regulations on union political funds, which could reduce the opposition Labour Party’s income. Opposition from unions and the House of

20 Μάιος 2016
Article
Industrial action
Social partners
Labour law
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

United Kingdom: Worrying levels of maternity-related discrimination

The results of a large-scale survey show a high prevalence of pregnancy and maternity-related discrimination experienced by mothers in the workplace.

20 Μάιος 2016
Article
Gender equality
Leave
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work

Slovenia: Developments in working life – Q1 2016

The withdrawal of employers from the social agreement, strikes by police and energy sector workers, negotiations for the new public sector wage agreement, and a new collective agreement in the private security sector are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the

20 Μάιος 2016
Article
Minimum wage
Industrial action
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Cyprus: Developments in working life – Q1 2016

Increased industrial action, demands for the restitution of lost trade union rights, a new agreement in the hotel sector and changes to fixed-term contracts are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Cyprus in the first

13 Μάιος 2016
Article
Collective bargaining
Industrial action
Social partners
Labour law
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Norway: Developments in working life – Q1 2016

Rising unemployment, the start of the biannual collective bargaining round, a report from the expert committee on working time, and a new report focusing on young workers and sustainable work life are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments

12 Μάιος 2016
Article
Collective bargaining
Health and well-being at work
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Pay and income
Living conditions and quality of life
Social policies
Social protection
Working conditions
Working time
Youth
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (12)
ef22076.png

Regulating platform work in Europe: A work in progress

The platform economy is one of those moving targets, which, despite receiving increasing media and policy attention, has proven difficult to regulate. Given the heterogeneity of employment relationships, business models, types of platform work and cross-border issues, this is not surprising. Yet, in

27 Σεπτέμβριος 2022
Dragoș Adăscăliței
Blog
Platform work
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
ef22054.png

Resumed EU Semester calls for better involvement of the social partners in implementing recovery and resilience plans

With the arrival of the month of May, the 2022 European Semester Spring Package is anticipated soon. After a transformative year in 2021, which saw the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU, the European Semester cycle has resumed its role as the reference

3 Μάιος 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
ef22043.png

Platform cooperatives ensure caring in the sharing economy

Whether it is couch surfing, baby-sitting, pizza delivery or getting Ikea furniture assembled by somebody who can do it better, platforms can mediate all kinds of voluntary or professional services. Platform work is at the heart of the ‘sharing economy’. But while this may sound like a new form of

31 Μάρτιος 2022
Beate Steurer
Blog
New forms of employment
Employment relationship
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
ef21081.png

Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that

18 Ιούνιος 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
ef21076.png

As Member States take different approaches to regulating telework, will the EU bring them into line?

The massive and rapid adoption of telework in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 lockdowns exposed gaps in the legislation governing telework arrangements across the EU Member States. In some cases, there was no regulation in place; in others, it was too restrictive. Governments scrambled to put

31 Μάιος 2021
Federica De Blasio
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Teleworking
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
ef20082.png

Does the new telework generation need a right to disconnect?

Whatever the benefits of telework – and there are many, including more flexible working time, increased productivity and less commuting – there are drawbacks, as many of the one-third of Europeans who were exclusively working from home during the pandemic will attest. Primary among these is the ‘alw

3 Δεκέμβριος 2020
Oscar Vargas Llave
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Work-life balance
Collective bargaining
Agreements
Digitalisation
Teleworking
Labour and social regulation
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
image_blog_gender_pay_reports_06112020.png

Are simple statistics enough? On the benefits of gender pay reports and audits

Following a sluggish response by many Member States to introduce or modify gender pay transparency measures, as it recommended in 2014, the European Commission intends to table a proposal for EU-level legislation on pay transparency later in 2020. In this context, a new Eurofound study investigated

6 Νοέμβριος 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Gender equality
Discrimination at work
Labour and social regulation
image_blog_on_racism_25062020.png

Racial discrimination is not a thing of the past in the EU

25 Ιούνιος 2020
Anna Gallinat
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Discrimination at work
Inclusive labour markets
Migration and mobility
Labour and social regulation
image_blog_short_term_working_05052020.png

Can short-time working save jobs during the COVID-19 crisis?

On 2 April, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new fund of up to €100 billion to support EU Member States to introduce short-time working or similar schemes, including for the self-employed, in an effort to safeguard jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as SURE

5 Μάιος 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Labour market policies
Labour and social regulation
image_blog_lmc_precarious_workers_21042020.png

Economic downturns expose the vulnerability of a growing number of precarious workers

Up to the start of 2020, recent EU economic and labour market trends were often discussed in terms of the periods before and after the Great Recession. It now appears likely that, in the short- to medium-term, the repercussions of that economic crisis will be dwarfed by the unfolding impact of the

21 Απρίλιος 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Non-standard employment
Employment status
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets

Disclaimer

When freely submitting your request, you are consenting Eurofound in handling your personal data to reply to you. Your request will be handled in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. More information, please read the Data Protection Notice.