Publications

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Latest publications

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    As the 1 May election date draws nearer, both the Conservative Government and
    the main opposition party, Labour, have begun to fight their campaigns by
    taking opposite stances on the social policy Agreement annexed to the
    Maastricht Treaty on European Union - the so-called "social chapter", from
    which the UK has "opted out". In February, the Government launched an attack,
    stating that if the Labour Party were to win the general election, its
    commitment to "signing up" to the social chapter would cost the UK 500,000
    jobs.

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    Recently-announced plans by banks to levy service charges on the accounts
    into which employees' salaries and wages are paid, have resulted in trade
    union protests and the dropping of the proposals.

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    In the Works Constitution [1] Act (Betriebsverfassungsgesetz) of 1972, works
    councils [2] in Germany are given extensive rights of information,
    consultation and co-determination [3]. The employer has to provide the works
    council with both timely and comprehensive information on all matters related
    to the discharge of its functions. In establishments with over 20 employees,
    information must be given "in full and in good time" on reductions in
    operations and the introduction of new working methods. Consultation rights
    cover planned structural alterations to the plant and prospective changes in
    equipment and working methods that affect job requirements, all decisions
    relating to manpower planning, and individual dismissals.

    [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/efemiredictionary/works-constitution-0
    [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/efemiredictionary/works-council-2
    [3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/efemiredictionary/co-determination-2

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    At its plenary session of 13-17 January 1997, the European Parliament debated
    two important measures relating to employee consultation in European
    companies. After the European Works Councils (EWCs) Directive was passed in
    1994, the Commission published a Communication on the future of employee
    consultation in November 1995, in order to revive a legislative issue which
    has been under discussion in various forms for over 15 years. Its aim was to
    explore whether the model used for determining the structure and operation of
    EWCs could be used in a wider context as a basis for making progress with the
    long-delayed European Company Statute.

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    Unskilled young people aged between 20 and 24 must undertake training or work
    experience programmes in order to maintain their right to receive
    unemployment benefit, according to a recent amendment to the Act on Labour
    Market Support.

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    According to the UGT trade union confederation, during the 1996 collective
    bargaining round pay increases were generally settled in line with the Social
    Concertation Agreement for that year.

  • Article
    27 Februarie 1997

    As the legislation regulating the postal delivery monopoly will expire by the
    end of 1997, on 18 February Germany's governing coalition parties proposed a
    new law which would limit the exclusive licence of Deutsche Post AG, the
    national postal service, to handling letters weighting under 100g, and this
    only until the end of 2002. According to the Ministry responsible, this
    proposal would reduce Deutsche Post's current monopoly to 87% of the standard
    letter market. The proposed new law would also open completely the bulk mail
    market to licensed competitors from 1 January 1998.

Series

  • European Restructuring Monitor

    The European Restructuring Monitor (ERM) has reported on the employment impact of large-scale business restructuring since 2002. This publication series include the ERM reports, as well as blogs, articles and working papers on restructuring-related events in the EU27 and Norway.

  • European Working Conditions Telephone Survey 2021

    Eurofound’s European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) paints a wide-ranging picture of Europe at work across countries, occupations, sectors and age groups. This series consists of findings from the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) 2021, an extraordinary edition conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey was first carried out in 1990.

  • Developments in working life, industrial relations and working conditions in the EU

    This publication series gathers all overview reports on developments in working life, annual reviews in industrial relations and working conditions produced by Eurofound on the basis of national contributions from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents (NEC). Since 1997, these reports have provided overviews of the latest developments in industrial relations and working conditions across the EU and Norway. The series may include recent ad hoc articles written by members of the NEC.

  • COVID-19

    Eurofound’s work on COVID-19 examines the far-reaching socioeconomic implications of the pandemic across Europe as they continue to impact living and working conditions. A key element of the research is the e-survey, launched in April 2020, with five rounds completed at different stages during 2020, 2021 and 2022. This is complemented by the inclusion of research into the ongoing effects of the pandemic in much of Eurofound’s other areas of work.

  • Sectoral social dialogue

    Eurofound's representativeness studies are designed to allow the European Commission to identify the ‘management and labour’ whom it must consult under article 154 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). This series consists of studies of the representativeness of employer and worker organisations in various sectors.

  • Minimum wages in the EU

    This series reports on developments in minimum wage rates across the EU, including how they are set and how they have developed over time in nominal and real terms. The series explores where there are statutory minimum wages or collectively agreed minimum wages in the Member States, as well as minimum wage coverage rates by gender.  

  • European Working Conditions Surveys

    The European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) launched in 1990 and is carried out every five years, with the latest edition in 2015. It provides an overview of trends in working conditions and quality of employment for the last 30 years. It covers issues such as employment status, working time duration and organisation, work organisation, learning and training, physical and psychosocial risk factors, health and safety, work–life balance, worker participation, earnings and financial security, work and health, and most recently also the future of work.

  • Challenges and prospects in the EU

    Eurofound’s Flagship report series 'Challenges and prospects in the EU' comprise research reports that contain the key results of multiannual research activities and incorporate findings from different related research projects. Flagship reports are the major output of each of Eurofound’s strategic areas of intervention and have as their objective to contribute to current policy debates.

  • European Company Survey 2019

    Eurofound’s European Company Survey (ECS) maps and analyses company policies and practices which can have an impact on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, as well as the development of social dialogue in companies. This series consists of outputs from the ECS 2019, the fourth edition of the survey. The survey was first carried out in 2004–2005 as the European Survey on Working Time and Work-Life Balance. 

  • National social partners and policymaking

    This series reports on and updates latest information on the involvement of national social partners in policymaking. The series analyses the involvement of national social partners in the implementation of policy reforms within the framework of social dialogue practices, including their involvement in elaborating the National Reform Programmes (NRPs).

Forthcoming publications

  • Report
    Mai 2024

    The report maps trends in income inequality and examines the situation of the middle classes in the EU during 2020, the year most associated with the COVID-19 lockdowns. It charts developments in the size and composition of middle-class households across countries, identifies those that suffered disproportionately in 2020. Taking a longer lens, the report describes the evolution of income inequalities over the last 15 years, comparing the Great Recession (2007–2009) with the COVID-19 pandemic, and outlines the trends both between and within Member States.

  • Report
    Decembrie 2024

    This report explores the implications of the right of all EU citizens to live independently. It investigates the barriers faced by people who wish to live independently, and the situation of people at risk of living in institutional settings. It maps the various measures taken by EU Member States to foster independent living and autonomy. The report also includes policy pointers to support future decision-makers and provides a review of lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.