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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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Pravica do odklopa: njeno izvajanje in vpliv na ravni podjetja

This report explores EU Member States’ legislation around the right to disconnect and assesses the impact of company policies in this area on employees’ hours of connection, working time, work–life...

30 November 2023
Publication
Research report
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Hibridno delo v Evropi: opredelitev in praksa

Izraz „hibridno delo“ se je razširil z razmahom dela na daljavo med pandemijo covida-19, ko so podjetja in zaposleni začeli razpravljati o načinih organizacije dela po pandemiji. Izraz se čedalje...

25 Maj 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)

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

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Germany over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 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: Italy

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Italy 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

06 September 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: The Netherlands

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in the Netherlands over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good

06 September 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: Austria

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Austria over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 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: Belgium

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Belgium over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 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: United Kingdom

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in the United Kingdom over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing

06 September 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: Greece

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Greece over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 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: Sweden

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in Sweden over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 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: France

This report looks at the evolution of initiatives related to older employees undertaken by selected organisations (case studies) in France over the last decade. It reviews the following points: main impacts of measures/initiatives at the company level; driving forces for implementing good practice

06 September 2007
Publication
Research report
Labour market policies
Ageing workforce
Employment and labour markets
Labour and social regulation

Employee financial participation in the new Member States

This report describes the current situation in relation to employee financial participation (EFP) in the new Member States of the European Union. It provides a summary of the main findings regarding the incidence of the different forms of EFP and their implementation. It also describes the

23 July 2007
Publication
Research report
Social partners
Participation at work
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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 Junij 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 Junij 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 Marec 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 Marec 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 Julij 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 December 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 Februar 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 Julij 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 Maj 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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