European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2019/127 establishing the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

It repeals and replaces Regulation (EEC) No 1365/75 which, in 1975, established the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound).
It adapts the rules concerning Eurofound to take into account as far as possible its tripartite nature. It is governed by a board comprising representatives of:
- EU countries’ governments;
- employers and workers of EU countries — social partners; and
- the European Commission.

KEY POINTS

Objective

As one of the EU’s decentralised agencies, Eurofound’s objective is to support the Commission, other EU institutions and organisations, EU countries and the social partners in shaping and implementing policies concerning:

improving living and working conditions;
devising employment policies; and
promoting dialogue between management and labour forces.

It seeks to meet this objective by:

enhancing and disseminating knowledge;
providing evidence and services for the purpose of policymaking, including research-based conclusions; and
facilitating knowledge-sharing among interested parties at EU and national levels.

Tasks

While fully respecting EU countries’ own responsibilities, Eurofound:

analyses developments and provides comparative analyses of policies and practices in EU countries and, where relevant, other countries;
collects data and analyses trends in living and working conditions, employment and labour market developments;
analyses the developments in industrial relation systems, in particular social dialogue at EU and national levels;
studies and researches relevant socioeconomic developments and related policy issues;
carries out pilot projects and preparatory actions, where requested to do so by the Commission;
provides forums for sharing experiences and information between interested parties at national level;
manages and makes available tools and datasets to policymakers, the social partners, academic bodies and other interested parties;
establishes a strategy for relations with non-EU countries and international organisations concerning matters for which it is responsible.

Organisation

Eurofound, which is based in Dublin, Ireland, has a management board, an executive board and an executive director.

Management board

It comprises:

1 representative from each EU country;
1 representative of the employers’ organisation for each EU country;
1 representative of the employees’ organisation for each EU country;
3 members representing the Commission;
1 independent expert appointed by the European Parliament.

The board’s main functions are to:

provide Eurofound’s strategic direction;
adopt Eurofound’s programming document;
adopt Eurofound’s budget;
adopt rules of procedure (including those of the Executive Board), financial rules, rules on preventing and managing conflicts of interest and an anti-fraud strategy;
appoint the Executive Director.

The Board elects, by a majority of two-thirds, a chairperson and 3 deputy chairpersons representing the various interests. Their term of office is 1 year and renewable.

It may establish advisory committees in line with the policy priority areas outlined in Eurofound’s programming documents.

Executive board

The executive board assists the management board by:

preparing its decisions;
monitoring, together with the management board, any follow-up to findings and recommendations stemming from internal or external audit reports, and OLAF investigations;
advising the executive director in the implementation of management board decisions, in order to reinforce the supervision of administrative and budgetary management.

Executive director

The executive director is responsible for:

Eurofound’s management and the implementation of Eurofound’s tasks and budget;
drawing up a draft programming document containing a multiannual and an annual work programme in line with Regulation (EU) No 1271/2013 on the financial rules adopted by the EU’s agencies and bodies.

Work programmes

The draft programming document is submitted to the management board for its approval and then submitted to the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council before 31 January each year.

The multiannual work programme sets out:
- overall strategic programming, including objectives;
- expected results and performance indicators;
- resource programming including multiannual budget and staff.
The annual work programme must be consistent with the multiannual work programme and comprises:
- detailed objectives and expected results, including performance indicators;
- a description of the actions to be financed, including planned measures to increase efficiency;
- an indication of the financial and human resources allocated to each action;
- possible actions for relations with non-EU countries and international organisations.
Both programmes must avoid overlaps with work carried out by other EU agencies. Eurofound coordinates closely with 2 other tripartite agencies: the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop).

Budget

Estimates of all revenue and expenditure for Eurofound must be prepared each financial year and shown in Eurofound’s budget. The budget must be balanced in terms of revenue and expenditure.

Its revenue side comprises:
- a contribution from the EU’s general budget;
- voluntary financial contributions from EU countries;
- charges for publications and any service provided by Eurofound;
- any contribution from non-EU countries involved in Eurofound’s work.
Its expenditure side includes:
- staff remuneration;
- administrative and infrastructure expenses;
- operational expenditure.

Evaluation

By 21 February 2024, and every 5 years thereafter, the Commission must ensure that an evaluation is carried out to assess Eurofound’s performance in relation to its objectives, mandate and tasks.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 20 February 2019.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

Who we are (Eurofound).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2019/127 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 January 2019 establishing the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound), and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1365/75 (OJ L 30, 31.1.2019, pp. 74-89)