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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

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Trabajo híbrido en Europa: Concepto y práctica

El término «trabajo híbrido» se popularizó con el auge del teletrabajo durante la pandemia de COVID-19, cuando las empresas y los empleados empezaron a debatir formas de organizar el trabajo...

25 Mayo 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)

El derecho a la desconexión: Aplicación e impacto en la empresa

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
Tiempo de trabajo
Equilibrio entre la vida privada y la vida laboral
Condiciones de trabajo y trabajo sostenible
Teletrabajo
Working conditions
Agreements
Labour and social regulation
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Trabajo híbrido en Europa: Concepto y práctica

El término «trabajo híbrido» se popularizó con el auge del teletrabajo durante la pandemia de COVID-19, cuando las empresas y los empleados empezaron a debatir formas de organizar el trabajo después de la crisis. El término se viene utilizando cada vez más para referirse a situaciones en las que el

25 May 2023
Publication
Research report
Condiciones de trabajo y trabajo sostenible
Teletrabajo
Work organisation
Labour and social regulation
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El aumento del teletrabajo: impacto en las condiciones de trabajo y la normativa

El presente informe presenta los estudios realizados por Eurofound sobre el teletrabajo durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en 2020 y 2021. Analiza los cambios en la incidencia del teletrabajo, las condiciones de laborales experimentadas por quienes trabajan desde casa y los cambios en la normativa que

08 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Nuevas formas de empleo
Condiciones de trabajo y trabajo sostenible
Working conditions
Teletrabajo
Employment relationship
COVID-19
La era digital: oportunidades y desafíos para el trabajo y el empleo
Labour and social regulation
Tiempo de trabajo
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Regulación de los salarios mínimos y otras formas de remuneración de los trabajadores por cuenta propia

El presente informe se lleva a cabo en el contexto del proyecto piloto trienal (2021-2023), «El papel del salario mínimo en el establecimiento de la Garantía Laboral Universal», encargado a Eurofound por la Comisión Europea. Se centra en el módulo 3 del proyecto, en el que se analizan los salarios

30 November 2022
Publication
Research report
Salario e ingresos
El salario mínimo
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Relaciones laborales y diálogo social
Relaciones laborales
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El teletrabajo en la UE: Marcos reglamentarios y actualizaciones recientes

El presente informe tiene por objeto cartografiar y analizar la legislación y la negociación colectiva sobre el teletrabajo en los 27 Estados miembros y Noruega. Pone de relieve las principales diferencias y similitudes entre países por lo que respecta a la legislación sobre el teletrabajo y los

01 September 2022
Publication
Research report
Tiempo de trabajo
Working conditions
Teletrabajo
Equilibrio entre la vida privada y la vida laboral
Work organisation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Relaciones laborales y diálogo social
Relaciones laborales
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Salarios mínimos en 2022: Revisión anual

Tras una prudente ronda de fijación del salario mínimo para 2021, las tasas nominales aumentaron significativamente en 2022, a medida que las consecuencias negativas de la pandemia se relajaban y mejoraban las economías y los mercados laborales. En este contexto, 20 de los 21 Estados miembros de la

15 June 2022
Publication
Research report
Diálogo social
Social partners
Salario e ingresos
El salario mínimo
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Relaciones laborales y diálogo social
Relaciones laborales
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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
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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
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Salarios mínimos en 2021: Revisión anual

El presente informe resume cómo se fijaron en 2020 los salarios mínimos para 2021, el año marcado por la pandemia de la COVID-19. Examina las dificultades a las que se enfrentaron los responsables políticos nacionales y su reacción frente a las repercusiones de las consecuencias económicas y

10 June 2021
Publication
Research report
Diálogo social
Social partners
Salario e ingresos
Working poor
El salario mínimo
European Pillar of Social Rights
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Relaciones laborales y diálogo social
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Discapacidad e integración en el mercado laboral: tendencias políticas y apoyo prestado en los Estados miembros de la UE

El presente informe examina las evoluciones políticas en los Estados miembros de la UE orientadas a apoyar la inclusión de las personas con discapacidad en el mercado laboral abierto en los Estados miembros de la UE, haciendo especial hincapié en tres fases: incorporación al mercado laboral

19 April 2021
Publication
Research report
Social policies
Servicios públicos
Working conditions
European Pillar of Social Rights
COVID-19
Disability and chronic disease
Labour market policies
Labour market participation
Condiciones de vida y calidad de vida
Labour and social regulation
Online resources results (793)

United Kingdom: Latest working life developments – Q3 2016

The Prime Minister’s statements on Brexit at the Conservative Party conference, labour market developments and the latest developments in the junior doctors’ dispute are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the United

21 Octubre 2016
Article
Working time
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Czech Republic: Latest working life developments - Q3 2016

Significant wage increases in many sectors, positive results from public opinion surveys, amendment of the Labour Code and easier rules on employing low-qualified Ukrainian workers are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life

21 Octubre 2016
Article
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Sweden: Latest working life developments – Q3 2016

A proposal to change the state pension age, suggested changes to requirements for public procurement contracts and an increase in the use of permanent employment contracts are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

21 Octubre 2016
Article
Migration and mobility
Retirement
Skills and training
Non-standard employment
Collective bargaining
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Spain: Latest working life developments – Q3 2016

A slight fall in unemployment and trade union concerns over labour precariousness, and the need for social partners to reach agreement on a new salary pact are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Spain in the third

19 Octubre 2016
Article
Pay and income
Job creation
Non-standard employment
Unemployment
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

France: Latest working life developments – Q3 2016

Adoption of a major labour law reform, problems over negotiations on the national collective agreement on unemployment insurance and the continuing fight against the illegal posting of workers are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in

18 Octubre 2016
Article
Working time
Retirement
Labour law
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Sweden: Work-related diseases more often caused by social factors

Work-related diseases due to organisational and social factors are increasing in Sweden, according to the Swedish Environment Authority. Since 2011, diseases due to these factors have increased by 77%. This, plus a recent spike in sick leave, has sparked a debate on how best to combat ill-health in

20 Septiembre 2016
Article
Health and well-being at work
Labour and social regulation
Leave
Psychosocial risks
Living conditions and quality of life
Work-life balance
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work

Norway: Equal treatment of temporary agency workers

An evaluation of the implementation of Norwegian regulations transposing the directive on temporary agency work concluded that the ‘equal treatment’ principle had led to more equality, in practice, but that challenges remained in smaller temporary work agencies and where agencies were hiring out

14 Septiembre 2016
Article
Gender equality
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Non-standard employment
Living conditions and quality of life
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Greece: Public opinion and social dialogue on labour market reforms

Ahead of further negotiations on the terms of the Greek bailout, two recent surveys are directly linked to the issues under negotiation and reflect the views of public opinion. The government has also organised tripartite meetings with social partners in an attempt to seek mutually acceptable

14 Septiembre 2016
Article
Minimum wage
Collective bargaining
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Norway: New legislation on temporary layoffs

New regulations on temporary layoffs have been introduced by the Norwegian Government at the request of the social partners. The new legislation extends the maximum duration of temporary layoffs, aiming to avoid unnecessary direct layoffs in a time of rising unemployment.

31 Agosto 2016
Article
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

Belgium: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Strikes over the government’s austerity measures, agreements providing better conditions for prison guards and more stability for temporary workers, and the end of the ‘wage index jump’ are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working

29 Agosto 2016
Article
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (12)
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Member States still getting to grips with the single labour market

The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law

17 Julio 2019
Helen Burke
Blog
Posted workers
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Undeclared work
Fraudulent work
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Tackling trafficking for labour exploitation in Europe: new way forward together

The European Union (EU) has strong legislation in place that protects workers from being exploited and also enables businesses to engage in fair competition. Workers are mobile and can move freely within the EU single market across borders – without being dependent upon traffickers. Yet, the latest

3 Mayo 2016
Andrea Fromm
Blog
Fraudulent work
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets
Migration and mobility
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

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