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.
Overview of measures by type
Employment protection and retention |
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04 November 2020 Updated |
€300 million salary waiver to save Austrian Airlines
Wage flexibility |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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04 November 2020 |
Corona bonus in several industrial sectors
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
04 November 2020 |
Corona bonus of €3000 rewards Vienna Port employees for exceptional burden
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
23 October 2020 |
Recommendation for Corona bonus in retail collective agreement
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
23 October 2020 |
Corona hazard bonus in collective agreements in the social and healthcare sectors
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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27 January 2021 Updated |
General collective agreement Corona test
Occupational health and safety |
15 April 2020 Updated |
Protection of workers in retail, including change of working hours
Occupational health and safety |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
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02 September 2020 |
Temporary unemployment premium for employees in the metal sector
Income support for unemployed |
Employment protection and retention |
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26 August 2020 Updated |
Measures for tourism and hospitality
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
26 August 2020 Updated |
Shortened weekly working time introduced in Lipik Glas
Working time and working time flexibility |
03 September 2020 Updated |
Annexes to collective agreements for all firms in the INA Group
Wage flexibility |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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27 August 2020 Updated |
Annex to the Collective Agreement for Croatian State Administration Employees
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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03 September 2020 Updated |
Annex to the collective agreement for Zagreb Airport
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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07 April 2020 |
Save jobs! - Employee sharing
Smoothing frictions or reallocation of workers |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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04 February 2021 |
Extensive testing in companies
Occupational health and safety |
Employment protection and retention |
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11 September 2020 |
Bipartite agreements on unpaid furlough because of COVID-19
Working time and working time flexibility |
Employment protection and retention |
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15 September 2020 |
Postponement of collectively agreed wage increases in transport sector
Wage flexibility |
Employment protection and retention |
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09 April 2020 |
Chemical sector: Collective agreement for getting through the COVID-19 pandemic
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
15 April 2020 Updated |
First collective agreement on short-time working for municipal workers
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
17 April 2020 Updated |
Collective agreement on short-time working in system catering
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
15 April 2020 |
Audiovisual sector: First collective agreement on short-time working
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
23 June 2022 |
Company employment pacts
Wage flexibility |
16 September 2020 |
Agreed premium but no wage rise for rubber workers
Wage flexibility |
09 April 2020 Updated |
Metal and electrical sector: Social partners settle crisis agreement
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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14 April 2020 |
Sectoral agreement on bonus for eldercare workers
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
17 September 2020 |
Public sector collective agreement includes Corona bonus
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
15 September 2020 Updated |
One-time premium for construction workers
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
09 December 2020 |
Keeping workers safe at public utility company Böblingen
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
15 September 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 agreement covering workers employed by German Rail (DB) Deutsche Bahn (and collective bargaining)
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
17 September 2020 Updated |
Premium for hospital workers
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
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23 November 2020 |
German Railways (DB) collective agreement 'Corona package'
Support for parents and carers (financial or in kind) |
Measures to prevent social hardship |
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23 June 2022 Updated |
Sikoflex
Other |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
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12 January 2022 |
Overview of bonuses in 2021 collective agreements
Support for spending, stimulus packages |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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09 December 2020 |
Secure pay and safe working conditions at Krones
Changes of working hours or work arrangements |
09 December 2020 |
Safe working conditions and safe production at B. Braun Melsungen AG
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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14 September 2020 |
Suspension of the collective agreement of the tour guides of Crete and Santorini in case of pandemic
Other |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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08 October 2020 Updated |
Collective agreement changes during COVID-19
Other |
Employment protection and retention |
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30 November 2020 |
COVID-19 recovery agreement for pilots at Aer Lingus
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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12 April 2021 |
New public service agreement concluded against background of pandemic
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
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23 May 2022 |
Revised public sector pay agreement concluded amid cost of living concerns
Responses to inflation |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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30 November 2020 |
Four year emergency agreement concluded at Ryanair
Changes in work organisation |
30 November 2020 |
Dublin Airport restructuring plan
Changes of working hours or work arrangements |
12 October 2020 Updated |
COVID-19 safety protocols agreed in the construction sector
Occupational health and safety |
12 October 2020 |
Agreement on safety protocols for meat industry
Occupational health and safety |
Employment protection and retention |
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02 December 2020 |
Luxottica: Welfare and solidarity in times of COVID-19
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Income protection beyond short-time work |
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21 December 2020 |
New COVID-19 related provisions for the bilateral fund for domestic workers Cassacolf
Paid sick leave |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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23 November 2020 |
Banca-Credito Cooperativo company agreement on the smart working
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
25 September 2020 Updated |
Ferrero company-level agreement for health and safety of workers during the COVID-19 emergency
Occupational health and safety |
23 November 2020 |
Merck Serono company agreement on smart working
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
23 November 2020 |
Acciai Speciali Terni company agreement of smart working
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
25 September 2020 |
Principles and guidelines for the new agile work in the telecommunications supply chain
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
28 September 2020 |
Company agreements on smart-working suggest that teleworking will be here to stay
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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25 September 2020 Updated |
Company-level agreement on the use of payroll subsidies
Direct subsidies (full or partial) |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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12 January 2021 |
Collective agreement signed in the police sector
Well-being of workers |
23 October 2020 |
National public sector collective agreement 2021
Well-being of workers |
14 September 2020 |
Amendment of the sectoral collective agreement for the Lithuanian national public health system
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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08 October 2020 Updated |
Temporary moratorium on credit obligations for legal and natural persons
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
Employment protection and retention |
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09 April 2020 Updated |
New agreement on partial unemployment establishes minimum social wage for unskilled worker as new compensation floor
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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02 November 2020 Updated |
Agreement on a teleworking regime
Teleworking arrangements, remote working |
Employment protection and retention |
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07 August 2020 |
Collective agreement: Air Malta cabin crew
Wage flexibility |
10 August 2020 |
Agreement between Air Malta and Engineers Union
Wage flexibility |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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09 September 2020 |
Frame agreement on working time regulations in kindergartens in connection with coronavirus
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
09 September 2020 |
Agreement on care for young people in child welfare institutions who are infected with coronavirus, or are ill with suspected coronavirus
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
09 September 2020 Updated |
New state sector agreement to facilitate working time planning
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
09 September 2020 |
Private nursing homes and paramedics: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
08 September 2020 |
Municipalities: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
08 September 2020 |
Hospitals: New collective agreement expands access to overtime
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
06 January 2022 |
Special agreement covers overtime and pay for municipal workers
Mobilisation of a larger workforce |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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18 December 2020 |
Closed front doors and cash-free payment to protect bus drivers
Occupational health and safety |
Supporting businesses to stay afloat |
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23 June 2022 |
Temporary layoffs
Deferral of payments or liabilities |
Promoting the economic, labour market and social recovery |
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11 September 2020 |
Collective agreements published in the second quarter 2020
Other |
19 July 2021 |
Annual report on the evolution of collective bargaining 2020
Other |
Employment protection and retention |
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30 November 2020 Updated |
Agreement on maintenance of employment in Continental Matador Company
Income support for people in employment (e.g., short-time work) |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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08 September 2020 Updated |
Agreements between Slovnaft MOL management and local trade unions
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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07 September 2020 |
Collective agreement Volkswagen Slovensko Bratislava for 2019-2023
Changes of management approach |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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08 October 2021 |
Collective bargaining on crisis bonuses in the public sector
Remuneration and rewards for workers in essential services |
Ensuring business continuity and support for essential services |
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02 October 2020 |
Agreement in the Bingo Sector to maintain employment levels and companies during the lockdown
Change of work arrangements (working time, rota schemes) |
Reorientation of business activities |
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25 November 2020 |
Agreement for maintenance of employment in Inditex
Transfer or redeployment of workers |
Protection of workers, adaptation of workplace |
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29 October 2020 |
KTH: Increased support calls to occupational health providers
Occupational health and safety |
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.
Article12 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.
Article16 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.