Eurofound's work programme for 2024 and Multiannual Research Programme 2025-2028 approved at annual Management Board meeting

This seventh Management Board meeting, with new members making up one-third of the Board, had opened the previous day, 16 November, with a speech from Executive Director Ivailo Kalfin, followed by a presentation from Deputy Director Maria Jepsen on the work programme. The meeting included presentations from Eurofound experts on the key research areas of minimum wages, industrial relations, working conditions and the just transition.

The tripartite Management Board, comprising representatives of governments, employer organisations and trade unions from across all 27 EU Member States, was joined by representatives of the European Commission and by Caroline Reidy, a new independent observer appointed by the European Parliament, as well as observers from the European Free Trade Association and sister EU agencies.

The work programme, due to be published in early 2024, continues Eurofound’s commitment to monitoring and evaluating working conditions, emphasising changes in job quality, especially concerning evolving work structures such as telework, shift patterns and adaptive workplaces. With a special focus on non-standard employment forms and the self-employed, Eurofound aims to provide comprehensive evidence contributing to understanding the dynamics of sustainable work and strategies to retain workers in employment longer. Research on the longer-term structural impact of the COVID-19 pandemic also continues.

Eurofound's priorities for the four-year 2021–2024 programming period have revolved around fostering social cohesion and facilitating just transitions in a changing landscape within the context of the repercussions of the war in Ukraine and the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis. The Agency focuses its efforts on its key areas of expertise – working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions – facilitating evidence-based policy actions.

‘As Eurofound’s work programme for 2024 and Multiannual Research Programme 2025–2028 receive endorsement, we mark a pivotal moment in our commitment to shaping the future of living and working conditions in Europe,’ said Ivailo Kalfin, Eurofound’s Executive Director. ‘The engagement during the Management Board meeting highlights our dedication to evidence-based policies, ensuring that our research continues to underpin efforts for social cohesion and sustainable transitions in an evolving landscape.’

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