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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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Hübriidtöö Euroopas: kontseptsioon ja praktika

Termin „hübriidtöö“ sai populaarseks seoses kaugtöö levikuga COVID-19 pandeemia ajal, kui ettevõtted ja töötajad hakkasid arutama, kuidas korraldada tööd pärast kriisi. Seda mõistet on üha enam kasutatud, et osutada olukordadele...

25 Mai 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)

EIRO thematic feature - Collective dispute resolution in an enlarged European Union

Promoting industrial peace in the labour market is an ongoing challenge in the world economy. This thematic feature from the European Industrial Relations Observatory (EIRO) outlines procedures that countries have taken to avoid industrial action and to maintain a smooth negotiating process between

10 December 2008
Publication
Research report
Industrial action
Labour law
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Ireland

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

10 November 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Estonia

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

17 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Bulgaria

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

17 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Czech Republic

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

17 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Cyprus

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

16 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Portugal

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

16 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Malta

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

16 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Ageing workforce
Labour law
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Latvia

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

15 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employment and labour market policies for an ageing workforce and initiatives at the workplace - National overview report: Poland

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

15 October 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Online resources results (793)
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Collective bargaining and social dialogue – Back to normal in 2021?

Two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, social dialogue continues to make a significant contribution to helping economies recover. Managing the crisis led many governments to rely on tripartite social dialogue to develop the policies that would mitigate the negative impact of the

16 juuni 2022
Article
Social partners
Minimum wage
Agreements
Collective bargaining
COVID-19
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Back to work after COVID-19: Testing, vaccines and green certificates

In the second pandemic year 2021, access to one’s place of work was increasingly dependent on providing proof of either having been tested, vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in several countries. Specific professional groups – such as essential workers and workers in critical infrastructure –

16 juuni 2022
Article
Social partners
COVID-19
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Labour market regulation, effectiveness of legal rights and obligations, and safety and health at work

Labour market regulation, effectiveness of legal rights and obligations, and safety and health at work 9 March 2021 Presentation by Barbara Gerstenberger, Head of unit - Working life, Eurofound

9 märts 2021
Presentation
Collective bargaining
European Pillar of Social Rights
Health and well-being at work
Labour and social regulation
Working time

Connecting and disconnecting and work-life balance

Connecting and disconnecting and work-life balance 9 March 2021 Presentation by Tina Weber, Research manager - Employment unit, Eurofound

9 märts 2021
Presentation
Digitalisation
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Teleworking
Work-life balance
Working time
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Member States are dawdling on gender pay transparency

The gender pay gap in gross hourly earnings in the EU was 14.8% in 2018. To help combat discriminatory pay practices by employers, the European Commission recommended in 2014 the introduction of pay transparency measures in all Member States. But more than half still have not implemented any such

4 november 2020
Article
Pay and income
Gender equality
Discrimination at work
Labour and social regulation
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EU labour law directives and national collective agreements: A clash of cultures?

3 juuli 2020
Article
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Agreements
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Summer time arrangements in the EU: A tripartite outlook on ‘Cloxit’

On 31 March 2019, clocks across the EU will go forward one hour, a Union-wide event since 2002. However, the European Commission has proposed abolishing the bi-annual hour change, an idea favoured by the vast majority of respondents in a public consultation. This article discusses reactions by

12 detsember 2018
Article
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Living conditions
Working conditions
Working time
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

United Kingdom: latest working life developments Q2 2018

The social partners’ joint statement on the risk of a no-deal Brexit risk, launch of the first labour market enforcement strategy and a record low for workers’ strikes are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the UK in

11 september 2018
Article
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Labour market policies
Pay and income
Social partners

Belgium: latest working life developments Q2 2018

Ongoing discussions about pension reform for ‘heavy occupations’, the signing of an agreement in the non-profit sector and strikes in the railway sector are the main topics of this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Belgium in the first quarter of 2018

6 september 2018
Article
Collective bargaining
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Retirement
Social partners

Latvia: Latest working life developments – Q4 2017

The state budget for 2018, tax reforms, the ending of strike action by healthcare workers, and continued wage growth are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Latvia in the fourth quarter of 2017.

7 veebruar 2018
Article
Labour and social regulation
Minimum wage
Pay and income
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 juuli 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 Mai 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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