Defining and assessing precarious employement in Europe

The aim of the research report is to establish a comparative understanding of precarious employement, as one of the main aspects of social insecurity and risks in European societies. The report is divided into three major parts ; a comparative policy analysis, case studies about specific local situations in several countries, policy implications on the european level (Esope project).

ESOPE Project

Precarious Employment in Europe: A Comparative Study of Labour Market related Risks in Flexible Economies

The aimof the ESOPE project is to contribute to an improved comparative understanding and evaluation of «precarious employment» as one of the main facets of social and socio-economic insecurity and risks in contemporary European societies. By thus doing the project expects both to increase knowledge and to inform current policy debates on the interrelations between the modernisation of systems of social protection, the activation of employment policies, and the «quality of employment» in Europe. The research questionsinclude:

 How is «precarious employment» understood and appraised in both scientific and policy terms in the five countries of our study (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and also at the European and wider international levels?

 What are the main factors accounting for the actual incidence and forms of «precarious employment» and what is the relative importance of sectoral factors and State-based regulatory frameworks?

 What notion of «precarious employment» could be more appropriate in scientific as well as operational terms for understanding, measurement and policy making?

In order to achieve these purposes, the project is divided into three major phases: [1] literature review and comparative policy analysis; [2] two strands of empirical research through case studies of selected services sectors and of local innovative initiatives; and [3] drawing of policy implications and dissemination activities, including an important scientific seminar.

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Defining and assessing precarious employement in Europe