EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust)

PURPOSE: to update the objectives, tasks and governance of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound).

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Regulation (EU) 2019/127 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.

CONTENT: since it was established in 1975, Eurofound has played an important role in supporting the improvement of living and working conditions throughout the Union. The new Regulation updates the objectives, tasks and structures of the Agency in the light of societal developments and fundamental changes in the labour markets.

Objectives and tasks

Eurofound will 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.

To that end, 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.

Eurofound shall: (i) investigate and analyse trends in living and working conditions, employment and labour market developments; (ii) analyse the developments in industrial relation systems; (iii) carry out pilot projects; (iv) provide forums for exchange of experiences and information; (v) establish a strategy for relations with third countries and international organisations.

Eurofound shall have its seat in Dublin.

Administrative and management structure

This will be comprised of:

- a Management Board composed of: (i) for each Member State, one member representing the Government, one member representing the employers 'organisations and one member representing the workers' organisations; (ii) three members representing the Commission and (iii) an independent expert appointed by the European Parliament;

- an Executive Board tasked with preparing meetings of the Management Board to prepare board meetings and supporting its decision-making and monitoring processes; it may take certain provisional decisions on behalf of the Management Board for reasons of urgency,

- an Executive Director, responsible for the overall management of the Agency in accordance with the strategic direction set by the Management, including the day-to-day administration and the management of financial and human resources. He shall report to the European Parliament on the performance of his duties when he is invited to do so.

The members of the Management Board and their alternates must be appointed on the basis of their knowledge in the field of social policies and employment, and aim to ensure a balanced representation of women and men. Each member, at the time of taking office, must sign a written declaration certifying that he is not in a situation of a conflict of interests.

Programming

Each year, the Management Board shall approve a programming document containing a multiannual and an annual work programme, on the basis of a draft drawn up by the Executive Director, taking into account the opinion of the Commission. The programming document will become definitive after the final adoption of the general budget of the Union.

Budget

In order to ensure its full autonomy and independence and to enable it properly to carry out its objectives and tasks, Eurofound will be granted an adequate and autonomous budget with revenue stemming mainly from a contribution from the general budget of the Union. The Court of Auditors will audit Eurofound’s accounts.

Eurofound's work should complement those of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) when they have similar fields of interest while favouring tools that work well, such as memoranda of understanding.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 20.2.2019.