Working in the age of AI – How are working conditions changing across Europe?
Join EU and national policymakers, social partners, civil society representatives, and experts to a lunchtime event at the European Parliament on 21 April 2026, 12.30-14.15. The event will present selected findings from the soon-to-be published EWCS overview report and explore what the data mean for EU policy debates on quality jobs, fairness, competitiveness and the future of work.

Working in the age of AI – How are working conditions changing across Europe?
Tuesday, 21 April 2026
Start
12:30
End
14:15
Event description
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Europe’s labour market is changing fast, driven in part by rapid advances in digitalisation and artificial intelligence - but not for everyone. New findings from the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) 2024 reveal that while job quality in the EU is improving, deep differences persist across sectors, age groups and gender.
Join EU and national policymakers, social partners, civil society representatives, and experts to a lunchtime event at the European Parliament on 21 April 2026, 12.30-14.15. The event, organised with support of the European Parliament, will present selected findings from the soon-to-be published EWCS overview report and explore what the data mean for EU policy debates on quality jobs, fairness, competitiveness and the future of work.
Keynote addresses by MEP Li Andersson, Chair of the EP Employment and Social Affairs Committee, will set the scene for panel discussions rooted in the survey’s evidence. Laura Nurski, Head of Programme, Future of Work, Centre for European Policy Studies will comment on the survey findings along with contributions from the European Commission and a selection of MEPs. There will be an opportunity for a Q&A with the audience.
Background
As EU debates intensify around competitiveness, fairness and the future of work, the event offers a timely opportunity to reflect on how working conditions are evolving in practice and how policy choices can support greater equality in the workplace and better quality jobs.
Eurofound’s data can support policymakers and stakeholders working on the Quality Jobs Act, the Just Transition and the issue of training. It also covers priorities like AI and algorithmic management, the right to disconnect and various forms of telework as well as supporting strategic European industries and sectors.
For over 20 years The European Working Conditions Survey has provided unique insights into the world of work across Europe. The 2024 survey draws on interviews with over 36,000 workers across 35 countries, with data compiled and measured against seven job quality indicators. It provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of working and demonstrates workers’ experiences around skills, working time, physical and social environment, working prospectives and the sustainability of their work among others.
Register your interest here: European Working Conditions Survey 2024 Event – Fill in form(opens in new tab)This link opens in a new tab
Agenda
Event moderated by Barbara Gerstenberger, Head of Working Life unit, Eurofound.
Contact
For any queries about the briefing, please contact Cristina Arigho.
Cristina Arigho
Senior Communication ManagerCristina Arigho is Senior Communications Manager and Stakeholder engagement and Promotions Lead in the Information and Communication unit at Eurofound, having joined the Agency in 2012. Previously, she spent almost 20 years in Brussels working in various roles, many of them at the European Commission, including as spokesperson for DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (2010–2012) and for DG Budget (2007–2009). Before joining the Commission’s spokesperson’s service, she was press officer at DG Employment (2005–2007) and speech writer for the Commissioner and Director General at the time (2003–2005). Prior to her years at the Commission, she worked for RTÉ radio and television (Irish national television) in Brussels as a production assistant and researcher, and later as news producer. Cristina is a graduate in Applied Languages from the University of Ulster at Coleraine, Northern Ireland.
Speakers
Li Andersson
Li Andersson is a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and Chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee.
Francesco Corti
Francesco Corti is a Member of Cabinet, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights, Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness at the EU Commission
Laura Nurski
Laura Nurski is the Head of Programme Future of Work at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPs)
Agnès Parent-Thirion
Senior research managerAgnès Parent-Thirion is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound, tasked with the planning, development and implementation of working conditions research projects, in particular the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) and its analyses. She is responsible for the EWCS 2021 extraordinary edition and for the preparation of the questionnaire for the EWCS 2024. Her research interests include working conditions, job quality, the monitoring of working conditions, work organisation, gender, the future of work and time. She has been working in the area of European comparative surveys for more than a decade, in all aspects including design, questionnaire development, fieldwork, quality control and analysis. She is a graduate in economics and management from Paris IX Dauphine and Paris I Panthéon Sorbonne universities and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Statistics from Trinity College Dublin. She has recently completed online courses on artificial intelligence: inquiry-driven leadership with MIT Sloan Executive Education and ‘Les grand enjeux de la transition: re-ouvrir l'horizon, comprendre pour agir’ with the Campus de la Transition. Before joining Eurofound, she worked for a number of years in the European Commission.
Jorge Cabrita
Senior research managerJorge Cabrita is a senior research manager in the Working Life unit. He is responsible for formulating, coordinating and managing European-wide research, and promoting the dissemination of findings in the areas of working conditions and industrial relations. His main research areas of interest include working conditions and job quality, working time and work–life balance, workers’ health and well-being, gender equality and the socioeconomic impacts of the transition to a climate-neutral economy. He is currently leading research on working time developments and on social dialogue and collective bargaining during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, he worked as a researcher at the Centre for Studies for Social Intervention and at the Research Centre on the Portuguese Economy of the Lisbon School of Economics, and as a trainer and consultant in the areas of strategic management, organisational communication, leadership and team building. He holds a BSc in Economics and an MSc in Socio-Organisational Systems of Economic Activity from the Lisbon School of Economics.
Ivailo Kalfin
Executive DirectorIvailo Kalfin joined Eurofound as Executive Director on 1 June 2021. Mr Kalfin’s expertise covers a range of areas, from the dynamics of the labour market and social policy to global political trends, the EU and budget, as well as digital transformation. He has outlined five main priorities for his role at Eurofound: supporting the mainstreaming of Europe's green and digital transitions; complementing the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan with evidence-based research; increased cooperation with international organisations and external partners and greater outreach to European Neighbourhood Policy countries; support for enhancing and expanding the capacity of social partners within the remit of the Agency; raising Eurofound's profile among key stakeholders.
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