On 7 September, Leo Varadkar (pictured right), Irish Minister for Social Protection, visited Eurofound. He met with Eurofound’s Director Juan Menéndez-Valdés and senior research and communications staff to learn more about the Agency’s work in the fields of sustainable work and inclusive labour markets. Eurofound has recently published a report analysing Member States’ strategies to make work more
With people living longer and birth rates falling across Europe, a priority of EU policy is to encourage
Europeans to remain in work beyond current retirement ages, to minimise pressure on pension systems.
At present, older workers often leave the workforce before statutory retirement age, with health problems and care responsibilities cited as common reasons. Many more people simply wish to w
The cost of people living in inadequate housing in the EU Member States is hitting economies to the tune of nearly €194 billion per year, a new report from Eurofound states. The cost of addressing the shortcomings of the housing stock would be in the region of €295 billion (at 2011 prices). However, the report maintains, the outlay could be quickly recouped from savings on healthcare and a range o
Partial retirement schemes can be an important part of the solution to improving sustainability of Europe’s pension systems.
On the eve of the 11th International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) European Congress, we look at the issue of representativeness in Europe, and how ensuring that workers and employers are fairly represented at EU-level is an important aspect of European democracy.
Ensuring that the interests of workers and employers are fairly balanced and represented has been one of the d
Eurofound launches the fieldwork for the fourth edition of its European Quality of Life Survey today. The survey, which offers a comprehensive picture of the views of people living across 33 countries including the EU Member States and candidate countries, will be carried out over the coming 13 weeks.
The fourth edition of the European Quality of Life Survey covers 33 countries, 28 EU Member S
Performance-related pay and employee reward systems in Europe are often unevenly distributed among different groups of workers; particularly benefitting men, highly-skilled and highly ranked workers. Without robust monitoring and transparency, supplementary employee reward systems could potentially exacerbate pre-existing pay inequalities. This is according to Eurofound's new report Changes in rem
Inadequate and poor housing is costing EU economies nearly €194 billion per year in terms of both direct costs associated with healthcare and related medical or social services, as well as indirect costs such as lost productivity and reduced opportunities. The removal of housing inadequacies across the EU, or at least improving them to an acceptable level, would cost about €295 billion at 2011 pri
Some interesting figures from the July/August edition of Eurofound News:
13,000 – the entire workforce of Marinopoulos, one of the largest supermarket chains in Greece, who have been made redundant as a result of the company’s bankruptcy.
22% – the gender pay gap in the Czech Republic, which in March 2016 prompted the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs to launch a five-year campaign to na
From Eurofound News July/August 2016
Taking action to make work sustainable
For Europe to achieve its goals for growth, workers will have to work for longer and more people will have to work. This requires new thinking to make work sustainable over the life course. In other words, it means achieving living and working conditions that enable workers to retain their physical and mental health,
From Eurofound News July/August 2016
Twice each year, the Board members meet in their separate stakeholder groups – Member State governments, trade unions and employer organisations – taking the opportunity to draw up their own meeting agenda and to discuss the issues of specific interest to their group.
The Board’s European Commission representatives are not present at the Groups meetings;
From Eurofound News July/August 2016
Last month’s referendum resulting in the UK’s decision to leave the EU has left policymakers on both sides of the English Channel seeking greater clarity, and not just regarding the UK’s future relationship with Europe.
Post-referendum analysis has highlighted public concerns on a range of issues central to the European policy agenda – migration, labour m
