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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)

BT has an ‘age neutral’ approach to promoting diversity and equality among age groups in its workforce. The organisation’s equal opportunities and diversity policy aims to ensure everyone should have the same opportunities for employment and promotion based on their ability, qualifications and

22 January 2012

MT age management policies are viewed internally to be in line with trends among similar large companies in Hungary. Large companies, including MT, are generally characterised by a relatively secure position in the market. They are subsequently able to maintain a consistent HR policy towards

22 January 2012

Respondents in Kiruna Regional Administration agree that there have been rapid developments within local governments with relation to age management. In the early 2000s, the primary concern of local governments was to encourage older employees to leave employment early. By 2010, concerns had shifted

22 January 2012

According to the head of the HR department, age management is a relatively recent concept in the Czech Republic. However, although the concept is still developing, the majority of HR officers in Czech organisations have already introduced age management measures to some extent into their practices

22 January 2012

DHV is a company reliant on the knowledge and personal skills of people. People are the most important asset of the company, and as a consequence the philosophy is to ensure strong HR policies that encourage employability and mobility of workers over time for the entire workforce. The company has

22 January 2012

While age management at the Borealis Group has always made use of generous regulations for early retirement – particularly at BAM and its predecessor AMI – there has also been a movement to maintain older workers in the workplace by creating sustainable work processes and adapting work practices to

22 January 2012

Eurofound’s research on ‘Restructuring in recession and labour force participation’ explored the age management practices of companies in light of restructuring undergone during the recession. The study looked at policy in relation to the retention of older workers (aged 50 or more) in employment at

22 January 2012

Eurofound’s research on ‘Restructuring in recession and labour force participation’ explored the age management practices of companies in light of restructuring undergone during the recession. The study looked at policy in relation to the retention of older workers (aged 50 or more) in employment at

22 January 2012

Eurofound’s research on ‘Restructuring in recession and labour force participation’ explored the age management practices of companies in light of restructuring undergone during the recession. The study looked at policy in relation to the retention of older workers (aged 50 or more) in employment at

22 January 2012

Eurofound’s research on ‘Restructuring in recession and labour force participation’ explored the age management practices of companies in light of restructuring undergone during the recession. The study looked at policy in relation to the retention of older workers (aged 50 or more) in employment at

22 January 2012

Online resources results (199)

Finland: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

New measures to help the unemployed find work and greater support for working families against a backdrop of governmental crisis, and the merger of industrial trade unions are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

United Kingdom: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

Mounting pressure to end the 1% pay cap on public sector workers, falling union membership, the ‘gig economy’, and a strike at British Airways are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the United Kingdom in the second

Spain: Latest working life developments – Q2 2017

Ongoing talks on a national pay agreement, the rise in precarious employment and social inequalities, and a new government measure to promote the hiring of NEETs are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Spain in the

Estonia: New training schemes aim to counter unemployment

Training schemes to prevent unemployment and support employment will be available for Estonian employees from May 2017. The social partners are hopeful that these will help to address the issues of an ageing labour force and skills mismatch.

France: Occupational personal accounts take effect

Occupational personal accounts, one of the flagship measures of France’s labour market reforms, took effect on 1 January 2017. The aim is to enable people to acquire entitlements to training without fear of losing them if they change employer.

Croatia: Increased need for foreign workers debated

Despite Croatia's high unemployment rate, companies are finding it difficult to fill vacancies, particular in the construction, shipbuilding and tourism sectors. The Croatian Employers’ Association has urged the government to increase quotas for foreign workers, while trade unions are calling for an

Croatia: Latest working life developments – Q1 2017

Optimism regarding the economy, implementation of reforms to simplify and stabilise the tax system, and new active labour market policy measures to help the most vulnerable groups are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life

Czech Republic: Latest working life developments – Q1 2017

Employers requesting government help in hiring foreign labour, plus government attempts to deal with the fourth industrial revolution and the digitalisation of the economy, are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in the

Netherlands: Latest working life developments – Q4 2016

The issues at stake in the run-up to the General Election, the favourable economic growth and falling unemployment and the debates among the social partners and politicians on flexwork are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working

Denmark: Latest working life developments – Q2 2016

The debate on EU membership sparked by the Brexit referendum, the current state of tripartite negotiations on the integration of refugees and an occupational health and safety case at Siemens Wind Power are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest


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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