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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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Regulatory responses to algorithmic management in the EU

Since 2013, Eurofound's ERM database on restructuring-related legislation has been documenting regulatory developments in the Member States of the European Union and Norway. The most recent update to the database...

Article
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Hybrid work in Europe: Concept and practice

The term ‘hybrid work’ was popularised with the upsurge of telework during the COVID-19 pandemic, when companies and employees started to discuss ways of organising work after the crisis. The...

25 May 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)
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Working life in the COVID-19 pandemic 2020

This publication consists of individual country reports on working life during 2020 for 29 countries – the 27 EU Member States, Norway and the United Kingdom. The country reports summarise first evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on working life based on national research and survey

23 March 2021
Publication
Other
Social dialogue
Social partners
Pay and income
Working time
Working conditions
COVID-19
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Employee monitoring and surveillance: The challenges of digitalisation

New digital technologies have expanded the possibilities of employee monitoring and surveillance, both in and outside the workplace. In the context of the increasing digitalisation of work, there are many issues related to employee monitoring that warrant the attention of policymakers. As well as

09 December 2020
Publication
Research report
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Health and well-being at work
Job quality
Labour and social regulation
Teleworking
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working time
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Regulations to address work–life balance in digital flexible working arrangements

Developments in information and communication technology (ICT) have been among the key drivers of change in working life over the past two decades. Specifically, telework and ICT-based mobile work (TICTM) exemplifies how digital technology has led to more flexible workplace and working time

02 July 2020
Publication
Research report
Working time
Work organisation
Working conditions
Work-life balance
New forms of employment
Collective bargaining
Agreements
Digitalisation
Industrial relations
Teleworking
Labour and social regulation
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Social dialogue and HR practices in European global companies

This study examines the interaction between social dialogue practices and human resources management (HRM) policies in European multinational companies (MNCs). It looks at the changing role of HRM and its interaction with European Works Councils (EWCs), which can act as a link between different

16 June 2020
Publication
Research report
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Social dialogue
Participation at work
Employee representation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Improving the monitoring of posted workers in the EU

The debate about the posting of workers in the EU, its economic and social consequences, and ways to manage it is hampered by the fact that reliable, comparable data on the phenomenon are lacking. Accurate statistics on the number of posted workers, their characteristics and working conditions are s

20 January 2020
Publication
Customised report
Posted workers
Working conditions and sustainable work
Undeclared work
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Casual work: Characteristics and implications

Casual work, both intermittent and on-call, contributes to labour market flexibility and is therefore increasingly used across Europe. In some countries, practices go beyond the use of casual employment contracts to include other types of contracts and forms of self-employment.

20 December 2019
Publication
Research report
Non-standard employment
New forms of employment
Social protection
Working time
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Undeclared work
Employment relationship
Labour and social regulation

Working time in 2017–2018

This biennial review charts developments in a range of working time issues in the EU and Norway in 2017–2018. It finds that while the average collectively agreed working week across the EU remains unchanged since 2016 – at 38 hours – there was a slight decrease in the past two years in the 15 Member

03 October 2019
Publication
Research report
Working time
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Leave
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Annual review of working life 2018

This report – the latest in an annual series – describes the main developments in industrial relations and the regulations affecting working conditions at EU level and in the EU Member States and Norway during 2018. Based on data from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, it presents information

02 October 2019
Publication
Research report
Social partners
Working time
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Industrial action
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Minimum wages in 2019 - Annual review

In most EU Member States, reviews of the statutory minimum wage rates spark a great deal of public interest. Such reviews affect the wider workforce, beyond those workers on the statutory minimum wage. Pay rates in collective agreements may be adapted in response to an increase in the minimum wage

04 June 2019
Publication
Research report
Pay and income
Working conditions
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The involvement of social partners in national policymaking

This report investigates the involvement of the national social partners in the design and implementation of reforms and policies in the context of the European Semester and countryspecific recommendations 2017–2018. In line with previous reports on the same theme, it also analyses the quality of

23 May 2019
Publication
Research report
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Online resources results (794)

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 August 2016
Article
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Denmark: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The debate on EU membership sparked by the Brexit referendum, the current state of tripartite negotiations on the integration of refugees and an occupational health and safety case at Siemens Wind Power are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest

22 August 2016
Article
Health and well-being at work
Migration and mobility
Skills and training
Labour market policies
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Poland: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Conflicts in the public sector, improved minimum wages, union representation for Ukrainian migrant workers and concerns about the consequences of Brexit for Polish workers in the UK are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working

22 August 2016
Article
Migration and mobility
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

EU Level: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The latest Country Specific Recommendations for Member States, the recent EU-level boost for social dialogue, the latest developments on the revision of the Posting of Workers Directive and recent migration initiatives are among the main topics of interest in this article. This update reports on the

12 August 2016
Article
Fraudulent work
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Migration and mobility
Posted workers
Living conditions and quality of life
Skills and training
Social dialogue
Social policies
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Hungary: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Ongoing unrest in the education sector, the repeal of Sunday closure legislation and changes in the employee-benefits 'Cafeteria' system are among the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Hungary in the second quarter of

12 August 2016
Article
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Norway: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Rising unemployment, the biennial renegotiation of nationwide collective agreements and proposed changes to legislation on temporary layoffs, working time and whistle-blowing are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

11 August 2016
Article
Pay and income
Working time
Collective bargaining
Labour law
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Lithuania: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The debate on the controversial new Labour Code, the opening of an information centre for posted and migrant workers, and the rise in the minimum monthly wage are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Lithuania in the

9 August 2016
Article
Migration and mobility
Minimum wage
Posted workers
Working time
Social dialogue
Labour law
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Portugal: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The re-introduction of four holidays and the 35-hour week in the public sector; as well as job precariousness and unemployment, are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Portugal in the first quarter of 2016.

5 August 2016
Article
Leave
Pay and income
Working time
Youth
Collective bargaining
Industrial action
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Romania: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

Opposition to new measures to reduce public sector wage inequality, a fresh start for the Social and Economic Council, and new measures to reconcile family and working life are the main topics of interest of this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in Romanian working

3 August 2016
Article
Industrial action
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation
Leave
Pay and income
Living conditions and quality of life
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

France: Green light on implementing the arduous work account scheme

In December 2015, the government accepted the last two decrees establishing a points scheme for arduous work and in June 2016 the Ministry of Labour gave the green light on its implementation. Employers claim the scheme will lead to job cuts while some unions have criticised certain aspects.

25 July 2016
Article
Sustainable work
Health and well-being at work
Retirement
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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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 September 2022
Dragoș Adăscăliței
Blog
Platform work
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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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 May 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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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 March 2022
Beate Steurer
Blog
New forms of employment
Employment relationship
Anticipating and managing the impact of change
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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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 June 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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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 May 2021
Federica De Blasio
Blog
Working conditions and sustainable work
Teleworking
Digitalisation
Labour and social regulation
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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 December 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
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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 November 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Gender equality
Discrimination at work
Labour and social regulation
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Racial discrimination is not a thing of the past in the EU

25 June 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
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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 May 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Labour market policies
Labour and social regulation
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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 April 2020
Tina Weber
Blog
COVID-19
Non-standard employment
Employment status
Labour and social regulation
Employment and labour markets

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