Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.
The EU PolicyWatch database currently contains 2,367 measures introduced by governments and social partners to cushion the social and economic effects on businesses, workers and citizens. The data collection started in 2020 and was last updated in June 2023. More information is available on the Eurofound website:
Use the side navigation to find measures by country, type of measure, category, or target group. Use the dashboard to search and filter policy measures on the following topics by more than 15 attributes:
The database indicates for each measure to which target groups it applies, broadly differentiating between workers, businesses and citizens.
The database contains 42 specific target groups, including for example:
Ensuring transparency of retail prices for consumers
Recently, the prices of food in general and some elementary ingredients, in particular, have surged to unprecedented levels. In 2022, food and non-alcoholic drinks prices rose by more than 10% compare...
Slovenia | 06 June 2023
Energy tax credit based on income level replaces second wage indexation
In the context of the price increase, the government has undertaken to introduce a new energy tax credit in return for the shift in the index bracket scheduled for August 2022, as well as the increase...
Luxembourg | 02 June 2023
Loans to the agricultural sector
In compliance with the Order No 3D-518 and the Order No 3D-852 of the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, on 11 October 2022, the National Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund (NACGF),...
Lithuania | 02 June 2023
Eurofound identified 1618 pieces of legislation and other statutory regulations, 939 of which were entirely new. This section gives an overview of social partner' involvement in designing and implementing these measures.
Extraordinary guardianship for the minors from Ukraine
On 3 March 2022, the Latvian Parliament Saeima adopted the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians. The purpose of the Law is to provide assistance to Ukrainian civilians who leave Ukraine or who can...
Latvia | 14 April 2023
Social services and social assistance for Ukrainian civilians
On 3 March 2022, the Latvian Parliament Saeima adopted the Law on Assistance to Ukrainian Civilians. The purpose of the Law is to provide assistance to Ukrainian civilians who leave Ukraine or who can...
Latvia | 14 April 2023
Support for energy-intensive manufacturing companies
As the price of energy resources was still extraordinarily high, the government has decided to approve the support for energy-intensive manufacturing companies. The assistance package was prepared by ...
Latvia | 06 April 2023
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 142 collective agreements. Most of them were identified in Germany and the most commonly found provisions relate to employment retention, income protection, and health and safety.
29 agreements additionally contain other provisions not mentioned above.
Establishment jobs: labour market integration
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv), The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) and the trade union Unionen have concluded an agreement on the programme of establishment job [...
Sweden | 01 March 2023
Polish government, unions sign social contract on power plants overhaul
Poland's energy transition will continue over the next 15 years. As a result, workers in coal and lignite mines and coal-fired power plants may lose their jobs. In order to provide them with financial...
Poland | 20 February 2023
Public sector collective agreement to tackle rising prices
The representatives of public sector trade unions and the government reached an _Agreement on measures in wages and other labour costs in the public sector for 2022 and 2023_ (Dogovor o ukrepih na pod...
Slovenia | 17 February 2023
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 92 social partner initiatives. Most of them were identified in Austria and belong to the category Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace.
Hermes mobile phone app on working conditions in the forestry and agricultural sector
In accordance with the national work-life innovation project of TYÖ2030 programme led by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health TTL [Työterveyslaitos], Industrial Union (Teollisuusliitto) has de...
Finland | 01 November 2022
European rail transport threatened by soaring electricity prices
On 9 September 2022 the the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), together with the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA), called on the European Commission and Member ...
European Union | 17 September 2022
Digi-Cheque for upskilling apprentices
In order to actively support apprentices and companies providing apprenticeship trainings with the challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, financial support for supplementary training measures is pr...
Austria | 14 September 2022
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 154 company practices. Most of them were identified in Bulgaria and the most commonly found provisions relate to health and safety, work organisation, and telework.
43 company practices additionally contain other provisions not mentioned above.
Kaufland is introducing a new reusable packaging system
The supermarket chain Kaufland was the first retailer in Croatia to stop the sale of lightweight plastic bags. The new rule has taken effect from 1 January 2020. Aiming to reduce plastic in the enviro...
Croatia | 12 April 2023
Introduction of first full length-electric buses in Cyprus
The Limassol Bus Company (EMEL) and the Cyprus Public Transport (CPT), operating in Nicosia and Larnaca, have announced the introduction of the first full-length electric buses in Cyprus. The introduc...
Cyprus | 31 January 2023
Financial benefits for coal industry workers
Polska Grópa Górnicza S.A. (PGG, the Polish Mining Group), the biggest coal producer in the EU, agreed to pay compensatory benefits to the coal industry workers. The measure aims to cover for inflatio...
Poland | 12 September 2022
Due to the revision process, some cases might temporarily be unavailable.
The database is updated regularly throughout the year with input from the Network of Eurofound Correspondents. This document provides information on the topical updates of the EU PolicyWatch database.
30 January 2023
Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.
Article12 September 2022
Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Article12 September 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.
Article5 July 2022
This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.
ArticleDisclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.