In the light of the EU policy objectives of increasing the rate of employment for 55-64 year olds and raising the average retirement age, EU Member States are currently discussing strategies around retirement. As the timing and the nature of the transition into retirement depend on the legal...

It is widely recognised that night work, weekend work and work at changing hours - shift work, in particular - all have serious health implications for workers. In recent years, the problems related to combining work with social or family life for those who regularly work atypical working hours...

Flexibility is a key issue in the European debate on the future of the European economy and labour market. If companies want to maintain and improve their competitiveness, they have to be able to react flexibly to market demands. Workers are interested in company policies that support work-life...

Following recent enlargement of the EU, the regional diversity in relation to living conditions, economic prosperity, infrastructure and educational levels of rural areas has become even more accentuated. Rural areas in the poorer countries tend to be characterised by a less educated workforce,...

Quality of life has emerged as a key concern of EU social policy, having a direct bearing on the living and working conditions of European citizens. The Foundation's first European Quality of Life survey, conducted in 2003, set out to analyse how various factors affect Europeans' quality of...

Parental leave - as well as other forms of family leave such as leave to care for children or family members - is a major policy element in the promotion of a better work-life balance for employees with caring responsibilities. While the 1996 EU Directive granted the right to parental leave in...

The recent enlargement of the European Union raises issues about the need to accept diversity while achieving social cohesion. Given the distinctive nature of Turkey's history and culture, its application for membership brings important challenges to the fore. Turkey's income per capita is lower...

While restructuring is a matter of great concern to many workers and enterprises and is high on the EU policy agenda, there are few hard facts on the extent of jobs actually lost and gained in this process. This report explains how the employment effects of restructuring should be measured, the...

The relocalisation of much economic activity to central and eastern Europe as a result of EU enlargement poses significant challenges to European works councils (EWCs): a diversity of cultures, languages and concepts of participation. This report examines 10 case studies of EWCs in four new...

The ageing of the EU population has implications for the sustainability of pensions, economic growth and the future labour supply. This report reviews case studies from a range of organisations across the EU that have instituted good practice in recruiting, supporting and retaining older...