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Labour market policies

To improve the functioning of labour markets, policymakers need to address labour market mismatches, labour market segmentation, and design employment policies geared towards the integration of specific groups into the labour market. Active labour market policies (ALMP) are public interventions which are explicitly targeted at groups of persons with difficulties in the labour market. These policies include Public Employment Services or other publicly funded services for jobseekers. Active support to employment is included in the European Pillar of Social Rights.
 

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Eurofound research

Explore Eurofound's regularly updated EU PolicyWatch database of measures introduced by governments and social partners in the EU Member States to alleviate the effects on businesses, workers and citizens of recent crises – COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and rising inflation. It also lists policies to support the digital and green transitions, as well companies that need to restructure. 

Database: EU PolicyWatch

Recent updates

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From July to December 2023, Eurofound supported the work of Spain's presidency of the Council of the EU, providing valuable research results on specific topics linked with the presidency priorities.

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Eurofound expert(s)

John Hurley

John Hurley is a senior research manager in the Employment unit at Eurofound. He took up the role of research manager in February 2012. He is responsible for the European...

Senior research manager,
Employment research unit
Publications results (148)

Flexicurity is a strategy intended to enhance both flexibility and security in the labour market and has been on the agenda of public and policy discussions across Europe since the 1990s. In light of the recent economic crisis, the question has arisen whether flexicurity, which was developed in

19 March 2012

The financial global crisis, the deepest the world has experienced since the 1930s, originated in the US mortgage market and led to a liquidity shortfall in the US banking system, the full effect of which started to be felt in August 2007. One of the first victims was the UK bank Northern Rock

16 February 2012

In the last ten years, flexicurity has been adopted by the European Commission as a European labour market strategy through a set of common policy components and guidelines. The aim is to tackle the challenges of globalisation, ageing populations and relatively low employment rates, especially for

27 January 2012

Vienna General Hospital sees the importance of the tackling the issue of ageing in terms of organisational strategy, organisational culture, personal development, organisation of work, and individual health of employees. The human resource department at Vienna General Hospital is responsible for the

23 January 2012

There is a clearly defined age management policy in place in Proniks Ltd. Older staff are considered to be a valuable asset. In other jobs and sectors, older employees may be considered less suitable for employment for a number of reasons (e.g. lack of up-to-date skills), this is not the case in

22 January 2012

Cambridgeshire County Council’s 2006–2010 people strategy sets priorities and limits on age management of employees. It commits the council to encouraging and maintaining diversity in recruitment and promotion, letting of contracts, training, and in publicity for and access to services. To support

22 January 2012

MOL faces a number of challenges related to an ageing workforce. As a formerly state-owned company, there is a tradition of lifelong careers that makes MOL attractive for employees. HR policies currently continue to support lifelong employment. The company’s approach is to seek to employ workers as

22 January 2012

The HR department at Ford works in accordance with the Ford Collective Agreement agreed directly at the company level. The Collective Agreement has some specific policies aimed at older workers and these are implemented fully at Ford. The following elements of the Agreement directly affect this age

22 January 2012

The experience of Made in Inox shows that micro-businesses are unlikely to have a dedicated human resources policy. Rather, they will have a general approach with informal processes, some specific age-related initiatives, and they will also aim to foster a specific organisational culture. Micro

22 January 2012

In the Netherlands, until 2008 workers over the age of 52 were entitled to additional holiday entitlements of one day a week. However, as part of the efforts to make employing older staff more attractive to companies, the trade unions agreed that in some sectors older workers should lose their

22 January 2012

Online resources results (199)
In this episode of Eurofound Talks, recorded for International Women's Day 2023, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Working Life researchers Jorge Cabrita and Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė about how, when paid and unpaid work are combined, women do eight full-time weeks more work than men per year
8 mars 2023
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Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the mass immigration of refugees into the EU – over 5 million to date, according to the UNHCR – has put European societies under pressure. EU and national-level policymakers together with civil society reacted quickly to accommodate the waves of fleeing Ukr

EU level: Latest developments in working life Q2 2020

Activities of the European Commission and social partners regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the high-level hearing on implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights and a fair EU minimum wage initiative are the main topics of interest in this article. This EU update reports on the latest

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

Slovakia: latest working life developments Q2 2018

An increase in wage supplements, easier access for people from countries outside the EU to join the Slovak labour market and new legislation for social enterprises are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Slovakia in

France: latest working life developments Q2 2018

The adoption of labour market reforms, strikes in the transport sector and new leadership among the social partners are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in France in the second quarter of 2018.

Czech Republic: latest working life developments Q2 2018

The new government taking office, a new low for the unemployment rate, the end of cheap labour and a call for more foreign workers are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the Czech Republic in the second quarter of

Finland: Latest working life developments – Q4 2017

The ongoing sectoral collective bargaining round, the government’s controversial active labour market policy, and proposed regulations on zero-hour contracts are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Finland in the

Austria: Latest working life developments – Q4 2017

The general elections and the new federal government, major reforms planned in social and labour market policy, and wage increases of up to 3% are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Austria in the fourth quarter of

Italy: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

Changes to state employment, a new youth traineeship framework and an agreement to halt the off-shoring of call centres are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Italy in the second quarter of 2017.


Blogs results (10)
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The European Commission declared 2023 as the European Year of Skills, stating ‘Helping people get the right skills for quality jobs and helping companies, in particular small and medium enterprises, address skills shortages in the EU is what this year is all about.’

27 mars 2023
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We need to study and understand the blow Europe’s youth have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to adjust recovery and resilience measures to their needs: without prioritising young people in the present, we have little hope for the future.

3 december 2021
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Following the declines in employment rates and working hours across Europe in 2020, economies began to show signs of recovery during the first quarter of 2021. The gradual rekindling of economic activity has led to a surge in demand for workers and reawakened concerns over labour shortages

20 juli 2021
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Decision-makers approached minimum wage setting for 2021 cautiously due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Despite this, nominal statutory minimum wages rose in most Member States and the UK, although at lower rates than in recent years.

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​​​​​​​To date, close to six million workers in the EU have lost their jobs due to COVID-19. Many businesses have closed their doors forever or been pushed to the brink, bringing severe financial and psychological hardship to the individuals and families affected. However, the toll of the pandemic

9 februari 2021
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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 maj 2020
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At the very outset of its mandate, the new European Commission presented the European Green Deal, establishing the objective of becoming the first climate-neutral bloc in the world by 2050. The initiative emphasises the seriousness which the European Commission places on the climate and biodiversity

21 februari 2020
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Economic disparities have been decreasing between EU member states over the past decade, but at the same time inequality has been growing within member states. Despite national level convergence, the gap in wealth and income between the rich and the poor is growing in most of Europe. Some of this

29 oktober 2019
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Unemployment in the EU is continuing to fall, with the rate approaching its 2008 low point. This is good news: the Europe 2020 target of 75% employment in the working age population is now in sight for many Member States. However, as unemployment reaches new lows, the opposite problem is emerging –

19 november 2018
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In the abstract, platform work is the matching of supply and demand for paid work through an online platform. In practice, most people are likely to have encountered it through big online platforms such as Uber, Deliveroo or Amazon Mechanical Turk. This is a new form employment that began to emerge

2 november 2018
Upcoming publications results (2)

This report provides updated data on the scale of labour shortages and labour market slack in the EU and at Member State level and focusses on organisational policies aimed at attracting workers in shortage occupations. It provides lessons on steps employers can take to fill vacancies, whether actin

September 2024
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report

Job retention schemes were the main policy instruments used across the EU during the COVID-19 pandemic to preserve employment and support businesses. The report provides an analysis of job retention schemes in the EU, focusing on their institutional characteristics, their impact on employment levels

September 2024
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report

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