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Image © Eurofound 2021, Credit: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography

3 December 2021 09:00

Recovering from this pandemic means rebuilding hope for the future

We need to study and understand the blow young people have suffered from this pandemic, in order to adjust recovery and resilience measures to their needs and equip them with the tools to actively shape their present and future.

2 December 2021 15:00

Policymakers and social partners pilot protection for platform workers

Governments, social partners, grassroots organisations and platforms across the EU have started to pilot initiatives to improve the working conditions and social protection coverage of platform workers.

30 November 2021 11:00

Romania keeps youth unemployment below EU average

In 2020, the youth unemployment ratio in Romania was 5.5%, while the EU27 average stood at 7.1%. This ratio, which notes number of unemployed young people as a proportion of the total population of that age group, increased in almost all EU Member States between 2019 and 2020. In Romania, specifically, the figure rose from 4.8%, while the EU average increased from 6.5%.
This data was recently

Jan Kouwenberg, Chair of Eurofound’s Management Board (Left), with Maria Jepsen, Eurofound Deputy Director (Centre), and Ivailo Kalfin, Eurofound Executive Director (Right). Image: © Conor Healy / Picture It Photography/Eurofound 2021

19 November 2021 17:00

Jan Kouwenberg elected Chair of Eurofound’s Management Board

Jan Kouwenberg has been elected Chair of Eurofound’s Management Board at the Agency’s annual Management Board meeting in Dublin today.

18 November 2021 16:00

EU agencies deepen cooperation at important time for gender equality in Europe

Ivailo Kalfin, Eurofound Executive Director, and Carlien Scheele, Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) met in Dublin today on the sidelines of Eurofound’s annual Management Board meeting, to discuss latest developments in gender equality in Europe and sign a joint action plan defining future collaboration between the two Agencies.

18 November 2021 07:00

High levels of optimism about future among young people in Latvia

Despite the disproportionate impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people in the EU, Latvia has managed to retain a comparatively high level of optimism among its younger population, with 70% of people aged 18-29 in the country optimistic about their future. This is the second highest optimism score in the EU during spring 2021, only behind Malta, while the EU27’s average is 49% of young peopl

12 November 2021 13:00

Youth of Europe in spotlight in discussions between Eurofound and H.E. Leonard Sacco

Eurofound’s Executive Director met with H.E. Leonard Sacco, Ambassador of the Republic of Malta to Ireland, in Eurofound yesterday to discuss latest findings and developments, including on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth.

Image © Photocreo Bednarek/Adobe Stock Photos

11 November 2021 07:00

Poland records longest annual working hours in the EU in 2020

Employees in Poland are working 1,848 hours per year, the highest annual working hours figure (alongside Hungary) across the EU. The shortest hours are found in Germany (1,574 hours), France (1,610 hours) and Denmark (1,635 hours). These figures are part of Eurofound’s Working time in 2019–2020 report, which documents the most relevant changes in working time regulation after the onset of the COVI

9 November 2021 11:00

COVID-19 brought Europe’s youth recovery to abrupt end

COVID-19 ended a six-year decline in youth unemployment, with young people more likely to find themselves unemployed and to report poor mental health than the rest of the population. Young people were hit particularly hard both economically and socially with the pandemic striking Europe as youth unemployment was returning to pre-economic crisis levels for the first time. Economic and well-being ou

Image: © Robert Daly/Caia Image/Adobe Stock

3 November 2021 11:00

Workplace digitisation driving up skills

New technologies such as the Internet of Things, 3D printing, and virtual and augmented reality can help put greater emphasis on managerial and analytical tasks, reduce physically demanding tasks, drive the upgrading of skills and increase job discretion. However, some aspects of these technologies, particularly the Internet of Things, raise concerns that employee performance could be excessively

29 October 2021 11:00

Targeted measures can cut carbon emissions and improve social equality

Recycling revenues from energy and carbon taxes to support low-income groups, investing in renovating buildings and in green mobility are among measures that could ensure public support for Europe’s sustainability agenda and a socially just transition.

28 October 2021 07:00

Decrease of working hours and trust in national government marking COVID-19 impact in Czechia

In quarter four of 2020, weekly working hours in Czechia decreased by 2.8 hours, marking the largest decrease in the EU in a year-on-year comparison with the same period of 2019 and followed by Austria (-1.8 hours per week). The EU’s average for the end-of-year quarter lies at -0.5 hours. This data was recently published in a joint Eurofound and European Commission report (What just happened? COVI

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