The expansion of the European Union in 2004 has increased the debate about active participation in Europe's civil society. This report explores the diverse range of activities that constitute active participation, including in its scope both informal social networks and the more formal...

The adoption of the Directive on European Works Councils (EWCs) - partly a response to the increasing incidence of industrial restructuring across Europe - resulted for the first time in the creation of transnational industrial relations structures. This report examines the influence that EWCs...

Quality of work continues to be a key policy priority in the European Union. This third Annual review of working conditions in the EU: 2005-2006 from the European Working Conditions Observatory examines a range of issues and challenges related to working life and the workplace. It looks in...

The Lisbon Strategy is based on making Europe a more competitive and dynamic economy, and creating better jobs. If these goals are to be achieved, Europe requires a skilled and adaptable labour force and a more open and accessible labour market. One way of facilitating this is to encourage...

Temporary agency work is an important and rapidly expanding form of employment throughout the European Union. Its regulation continues to be a contentious issue, as the demands of employment creation and flexibility need to be balanced with employment protection and security for workers. This...

In the context of an ageing population and increasing demand for care services in the European Union, there is growing concern about the supply of suitably qualified care workers. Low pay, low status, and high rates of turnover and burnout make it difficult to attract workers to the care sector...

This report examines two topical issues - minimum wages and the crossborder relocation of production - from the perspective of industrial relations. Drawing on comparative analysis from the European Industrial Relation Observatory (EIRO), it looks at the situation in the 25 EU Member States, in...

The rural landscape in Europe is undergoing enormous demographic, social and cultural change. Many rural areas are growing faster than urban areas, while others are experiencing a decline. One key phenomenon in recent times is the increasingly global penetration of local markets, which has...