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

The European Parliament adopted by 579 votes 65, with 19 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Eurofound), and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 1365/75.

The European Parliament’s position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure amended the Commission proposal as follows:

Objective and tasks of the Foundation: Eurofound’s objective shall be to provide the Commission, other Union institutions, bodies and agencies, the Member States and the social partners with support for the purpose of shaping and implementing policies concerning the improvement of living and working conditions, devising employment policies, and promoting the dialogue between management and labour.

Eurofound shall enhance and disseminate knowledge, provide evidence and services for the purpose of policy making, including research-based conclusions, and shall facilitate knowledge sharing among and between Union and national actors.

The Foundation shall also be tasked to:

• disseminate that information to the Union institutions and bodies, the Member States, the social partners and other actors involved in the field of safety and health at work;
• provide forums for the exchange of experience and information between governments, social partners and other stakeholders at national level;
• contribute, in particular through evidence-based information and analyses, to the implementation of reforms and policies at national level;
• establish a strategy for relations with third countries and international organisations.

The Foundation may conclude cooperation agreements with other relevant EU agencies to facilitate and promote cooperation with them.

Management Board: this shall also provide for the participation of an independent expert appointed by the European Parliament.

Members of the Management Board and their alternates shall be designated and appointed on the basis of their knowledge in the field of safety and health at work, taking into account their relevant skills such as managerial, administrative and budgetary skills and expertise in the area of Eurofound’s core tasks, in order to carry out an effective oversight role.

Each member and alternate shall sign a written statement at the time of taking office declaring that he or she is not in a situation of conflict of interests. Eurofound shall publish the statements and updates on its website.

The Management Board shall also provide the strategic orientations for Eurofound’s activities and adopt each year, by a majority of two-thirds of members with the right to vote and Eurofound's programming document, containing its multiannual work programme and its annual work programme for the following year.

Programming: the Executive Director shall present to the Management Board a draft programming document containing an annual and multiannual work programme. Following approval by the Management Board, the draft programming document shall be submitted to the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council by 31 January each year at the latest. The Management Board shall adopt the programming document taking into account the Commission’s opinion.

Executive Director: the Executive Director shall be responsible for the overall management of the Agency in accordance with the strategic direction set out by the Management Board. Once appointed, the Executive Director shall attend a hearing at the responsible committee of the European Parliament.

The Executive Director shall also be responsible for:

• preparing the Foundation’s draft statement of estimates of revenue and expenditure and implementing its budget, as part of the Foundation’s programming document;
• taking decisions with regard to the management of human resources;
• taking decisions with regard to the Foundation's internal structures and, where necessary, their amendment, taking into account needs relating to its activities and sound budgetary management;
• cooperating with other Union agencies, and concluding cooperation agreements with them;
• establishing an office in Brussels as a liaison office to further the Foundation's cooperation with the relevant Union institutions.

Budget: in order to ensure its full autonomy and independence and to enable it properly to carry out its objectives and tasks in accordance with this Regulation, Eurofound shall be granted an adequate and autonomous budget with revenue stemming mainly from a contribution from the general budget of the Union. The Union budgetary procedure shall be applicable to Eurofound as far as the Union contribution and any other subsidies chargeable to the general budget of the Union are concerned. Eurofound’s accounts should be audited by the Court of Auditors.