home overview agency

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) - (Decentralised Agencies)

Target group

Government, Knowledge Centers

Type of funding

No direct funding

Project type

Research

Area

Health, Social Sciences and Humanities, Society

Info last updated 10 months ago

Summary

Providing knowledge to help develop social, employment and work-related policies according to Regulation (EU) 2019/127

Budget

Not Applicable

Official information source

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/agencies/eurofound_en

Description

Decentralised Agencies

Decentralised agencies contribute to the implementation of EU policies. They also support cooperation between the EU and national governments by pooling technical and specialist expertise from both the EU institutions and national authorities. Decentralised agencies are set up for an indefinite period and are located across the EU.

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound)

Overview

Role: Provides research-based input for the development of social, employment and work-related policies
Executive Director: Ivailo Kalfin
Set up: 1975
Staff: 100
Location: Dublin (Ireland)
Website: Eurofound

The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) is a tripartite European Union Agency established in 1975. Its role is to provide knowledge to assist in the development of better social, employment and work-related policies according to Regulation (EU) 2019/127.

What does Eurofound do?

Eurofound’s priorities are shaped by the key challenges for social cohesion and just transitions in a changing environment in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. Every four years, Eurofound reviews its strategy and what it is aiming to achieve. After wide-ranging consultations with its Management Board and the EU institutions, it draws up a four-year programming document.

The Agency’s core activities are:

To carry out research on social, employment and work-related issues covering a range of topics
To communicate the results, including research-based conclusions, to EU and national policymakers to support them in delivering policies to improve living and working conditions, devising employment policies and promoting social dialogue
To facilitate knowledge sharing among and between EU and national actors

The Agency conducts research projects and 3 EU-wide surveys on:

working conditions (European Working Conditions Survey, EWCS)
quality of life (European Quality of Life Survey, EQLS)
company practices (European Company Survey, ECS)

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eurofound has adjusted its research to monitor the situation and collect data regarding the impact on the lives of EU citizens and policy responses to mitigate the effects. A key element of the research is the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey, first launched in April 2020.

Its work is used to provide an evidence base for policy – such as in the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, the EU Directive on work–life balance and the European initiatives on youth unemployment and the Youth Guarantee.

Eurofound disseminates its research findings and policy-relevant knowledge through: