European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions
The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies
European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions
The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies
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.
EU PolicyWatch currently contains 1763 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 September 2022. 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:
Kurzarbeit: New short working time adopted
The measure was adopted in the context of support measures to ensure the strengthening of the labour market, while preventing an increase in the unemployment rate at national level, as well as providi...
Romania | 23 September 2022
Grants for small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises affected by the war in Ukraine
The Council of Ministers approved a new Aid Decree (Decree Law No. 50 of 17 May 2022 on 'Urgent measures on national energy policies, business productivity and investment attraction, as well as on soc...
Italy | 23 September 2022
Energy prices capping: Temporary benefits for consumers
The new emergency ordinance Nr. 27 from 18 March 2022 acts to ensure the capping of the end-user tariffs, but it also includes an extension of the charges for electricity producers, both in time and s...
Romania | 23 September 2022
Eurofound identified 1142 pieces of legislation and other statutory regulations, 715 of which were entirely new. This section gives an overview of social partner' involvement in designing and implementing these measures.
Budapest Helps: Website with information for refugees
At its session on 13 April 2022 the Assembly of Budapest Municipal Council voted to accept a proposal by the Mayor of Budapest on services to help refugees arriving from Ukraine. The councilors voted ...
Hungary | 03 June 2022
Government information page and support for charities for Ukraine
On 18 March 2022 the Hungarian government published a website with information for people who want to help Ukrainian refugees. The site is titled 'How can I help Ukrainian refugees?' It is also reveal...
Hungary | 03 June 2022
Healthcare services for Ukrainian refugees
Under government decree 86/2022 refugees from Ukraine who are under or have applied for temporary protection are entitled to health-care services specified in decree. A protocol issued by the Ministry...
Hungary | 03 June 2022
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 133 collective agreements. Most of them were identified in France and the most commonly found provisions relate to employment retention, health and safety, and income protection.
30 agreements additionally contain other provisions not mentioned above.
Revised public sector pay agreement concluded amid cost of living concerns
In early 2022, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Public Services Committee (PSC) invoked a review clause in the public sector pay agreement (the 'Building Momentum agreement') because of high and sus...
Ireland | 23 May 2022
Subsidy for costs of electricity and gas for high-energy intensive companies
In the framework of the Tripartite meeting of 22, 23 and 30 March 2022 on the impact of the war in Ukraine on costs, the Government undertakes to put in place new aids, both in the short term for comp...
Luxembourg | 15 May 2022
Subsidy for new heating based on renewable sources
In order to alleviate the pressure of rising prices on the purchasing power of the most exposed households, the agreement signed between the government, the Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises (UEL...
Luxembourg | 13 May 2022
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 83 social partner initiatives. Most of them were identified in Germany and belong to the category Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace.
Trade union opens temporary reception centres for refugees from Ukraine
Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) initiated and created temporary reception centres for refugees from Ukraine in the cities of Varna, Burgas, Ruse, Dobrich and Haskovo. Th...
Bulgaria | 30 May 2022
Identifying Finnish companies to employ refugees
The government of Finland has decided to grant refugees the right to work in Finland immediately after they have submitted their application for temporary protection under the EU Directive on Temporar...
Finland | 20 May 2022
Fundraiser of Polish business associations for Ukraine
Polish business associations have started a fundraiser that became very successful. Moreover, many companies are organizing humanitarian aid for people in Ukraine and for the refugees that are coming ...
Poland | 20 May 2022
The EU PolicyWatch database contains 151 company practices. Most of them were identified in Bulgaria and the most commonly found provisions relate to health and safety, work organisation, and telework.
42 company practices additionally contain other provisions not mentioned above.
Free healthcare offered by LUX MED for refugees from Ukraine
As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which started on 24 February 2022, many people entered Poland to seek refuge. The LUX MED Group decided to offer free urgent medical assistance to all t...
Poland | 20 May 2022
Lidl offers jobs and language training to Ukrainians in Bulgaria
Lidl Bulgaria advertised job opportunities for several locations. All cities, covered by Lidl job offers, receive large groups of refugees from Ukraine. The job offers are in Ukrainian language, supp...
Bulgaria | 16 May 2022
Pension payment arrangements introduced by Bulgarian Posts
In the face of the fifth COVID-19 wave the Bulgarian Post office introduced new arrangements to pension payments. The newly introduced time schedule complement the already adopted safety measures at t...
Bulgaria | 12 January 2022
Due to the revision process, some cases might temporarily be unavailable.
12 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.
Article
12 September 2022
Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine
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.
5 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.
Article
16 June 2022
In the second pandemic year 2021, access to one's place of work was increasingly dependent on providing proof of either having been tested, vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in several countries.
Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.