Spain's Ministry of Labour and Social Economy has initiated tripartite negotiations involving government, labour unions and employer organizations to implement measures for real and effective LGBTI equality in the workplace.
The negotiations aim to give effectiveness to Law 4/2023, which mandates companies with over 50 employees to adopt specific measures and resources for LGBTI equality, including protocols for addressing harassment or violence.
On 27 November 2023, the European social partners of the steel sector, industriAll European Trade Union and EUROFER, signed a joint declaration to support the double green and digital transition of the European steel industry and its workers.
The FPAA Repeal Bill repealed the Fair Pay Agreements (FPAs) legislation, was introduced into Parliament on 29 March 2022 and received Royal Assent on 1 November 2022.
The Charter stresses the value of social dialogue and collective bargaining and promotes and guarantees freedom of association for all employees in the workplace.
On 11 July 2023, the European Commission launched the first-stage consultation of European social partners on reinforcing the EU Quality Framework for traineeships, which ended 15 September.
It follows the first consultation phase launched on 11 April 2023, which ended with identifying six main areas for reform, subject to further consultation among the social partners.
The main areas of focus for further consultation concern the modification of the notion of 'transnational issue' and 'consultation,' limiting the possibility for management to classify information as 'confidential'; shortening the timeframe for setting up EWCs, improving the ability of EWCs and their members to enforce their legal rights, and ensuring that all EWCs are fully subject to the EU legal framework.
The second consultation phase will end on 4 October 2023.
EU Member States have drawn up a new framework agreement to regulate cross-border teleworkers' social security position.
This agreement clarifies which conditions workers working in another Member State other than the one in which their employer’s premises can still be covered under the employer’s country social security system.
It enters into force from 1 July 2023, for a period of 5 years and shall be automatically extended each time for another 5 years.
To date, the Member States that have either signed the agreement, or have indicated they will sign, are Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Slovakia, Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia, Norway, Malta, Portugal, and Poland.
On 12 April 2023, Eurofound published a new research paper on the impact of climate change and policies to manage the transition to a carbon-neutral economy on employment, working conditions, social dialogue, and living conditions.
It also identifies the opportunities and risks climate change policies bring to European labour markets.