Living and working in Europe

Foreword

2024 was a year of resilience, renewal and continuing transformation. In recent years, Europe has faced a long list of overlapping crises – a global health pandemic, cost-of living pressures with rising inflation, an energy crisis, geopolitical instability with Russia’s war on Ukraine and the ongoing climate crisis. Yet, through each of these crises, the EU has not only endured, but adapted and evolved.

These challenges are not happening in isolation. They are unfolding against the backdrop of the EU’s changing policy landscape, with the new European Commission prioritising, among other things, affordable housing, high-quality jobs and an anti-poverty strategy. Eurofound contributes to these priorities through its research on housing insecurity, job quality, minimum wages and social inclusion, providing a robust evidence base to support more effective and inclusive policies across the EU.

Today, Europe finds itself in transition, facing long-term structural shifts in the labour market driven by digitalisation, the climate crisis and demographic challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI), automation and climate policies are redefining industries, reshaping economies and redefining job quality. As these transformations unfold, Eurofound stands alongside the EU community, providing evidence-based insights to help shape a stronger, more inclusive, and forward-looking Europe.

In 2024, Eurofound’s research addressed some of the most pressing issues affecting people and businesses across the EU – from labour and skills shortages to the housing crisis, rising living costs, and social protection gaps. Labour and skills shortages in particular have emerged as a key constraint on business performance and the green and digital transitions. Eurofound research shows that companies are increasingly taking action – not only through upskilling initiatives and the targeted inclusion of underutilised groups such as women, individuals with disabilities, and third-country nationals, but also by improving working conditions, for instance through better pay, flexible working arrangements, childcare support and housing assistance to attract and retain workers.

Two years after the European Year of Youth, Eurofound remains focused on the situation of young people across Europe. While there are positive signs – such as rising employment and job stability – many still face barriers to independence, notably in the areas of mental well-being and housing. The housing crisis, manifested in record-high rents and unaffordable homeownership, continues to delay key life transitions for young people. Eurofound’s work reveals the multidimensional nature of the crisis, from housing insecurity to evictions and homelessness – issues that now sit high on the EU agenda as Commission President Ursula von der Leyen signals urgent action on housing.

2024 was also a year of political transition, marked by the election of the new European Parliament and the formation of the European Commission. Eurofound actively contributed to public debate, joining the EU-wide #UseYourVote campaign in advance of the European Parliament elections in June and launching a major exhibition, The Future of Living and Working in Europe, at the European Parliament in the autumn. This gave Eurofound an opportunity to engage with newly elected MEPs and key stakeholders, reaffirming its commitment to providing independent, evidence-based research to inform EU policymaking.

As we enter 2025, Eurofound marks its 50th anniversary – a milestone moment to reflect on five decades of research that has helped shape European employment and social policies. Since its establishment in 1975, Eurofound has evolved alongside the European project itself, responding to economic crises, demographic shifts, technological revolutions and policy transformations.

Executive Director, Ivailo Kalfin