Challenges and prospects in the EU

Following improvements in economic growth and labour market participation after the global financial and economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes a new, unprecedented challenge for the EU. The crisis threatens to pose an existential challenge to the EU’s cohesion and legitimacy. The subject of upward convergence is once again centre stage in the European policy debate. Expanding on work done on this topic in previous years, this flagship report traces developments in economic and social indicators between the economic crisis and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What have been the major trends and policy developments regarding digitalisation in Europe? What do we know about the deployment of automation, digitisation and the platform economy? This flagship publication provides an overview of developments in Europe in recent years, as well as mapping the observable or expected effects on employment and working conditions, as well as exploring the implications from a policy perspective.

In dit vlaggenschiprapport worden beknopt de belangrijkste bevindingen weergegeven van het onderzoek van Eurofound naar de arbeidsomstandigheden dat is uitgevoerd in de programmeringsperiode 2017-2020. In het rapport wordt de vooruitgang geïnventariseerd die sinds 2000 is geboekt bij het verbeteren van de arbeidsomstandigheden en wordt onderzocht of alle werknemers in gelijke mate hebben geprofiteerd van positieve verandering. Die groepen worden uitgelicht die het meeste risico lopen om te maken te krijgen met slechte arbeidsomstandigheden en achterop te raken.

In het kader van zijn mandaat om de dialoog tussen de sociale partners te stimuleren, monitort en analyseert Eurofound al meer dan veertig jaar ontwikkelingen in stelsels van arbeidsverhoudingen op EU-niveau en in de lidstaten van de EU. Dit vlaggenschiprapport is gebaseerd op het werk dat in dit verband gedurende de vorige programmeringsperiode (2015-2019) is verricht. Het berust op de uitgebreide monitoring die Eurofound doorlopend heeft verricht op stelsels van arbeidsverhoudingen en sociale dialoog.

What have been the major trends and policy developments regarding the flexibilisation of employment in recent years? Eurofound’s work programme for 2017–2020 set out to document and capture these changes in the world of work. This flagship publication provides an overview of developments in Europe in the wake of the global financial crisis, as well as mapping the ongoing challenges and policy approaches taken at EU and national levels to find the right balance between flexibility and security in the labour market.

What have been the major developments in quality of life and public services in Europe in recent years, as captured by research into these areas in Eurofound’s work programme for 2017–2020? This flagship publication provides a synthesis of the main findings on several key topics, based, in part, on European Quality of Life Survey data.