Research project DEFEN-CE: Social dialogue in defense of vulnerable groups in post-COVID-19 labour markets

DEFEN-CE is truly European: based on original empirical data, DEFENCE (a) maps the policy measures taken in the EU, (b) studies how these measures were shaped by social partners, and (c) how the adopted policies fuel social dialogue and collective bargaining within the policy implementation process in 10 EU member states and 2 candidate countries, and (d) sets the national developments in the context of the European Social Policy.

The project specifically targets employment and social protection measures relevant for vulnerable groups, defined by the European Commission (EC, 2010) as ‘groups within our societies facing higher risk of poverty and social exclusion compared to the general population’. DEFEN-CE views measures addressing potentially vulnerable groups including (but not limited to) the youth and labour market entrants (incl. migrant workers), families and single parents, self-employed and precarious workers in SMEs. The exposure of these workers to insecurities due to COVID-19 induced employment crisis calls for targeted policy attention and opens opportunities for social dialogue in defending their social and employment rights.

The main research question of DEFEN-CE is how social dialogue plays a role in addressing the employment and social protection rights of the vulnerable groups in the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath in 2020-2022. Project aims are addressed via a multi-method approach, including database analysis and qualitative comparative analysis at the EU and national levels. DEFEN-CE is committed to inclusiveness: it gathers data from all European regions (Northern, Western, Central, Southern, Eastern Europe), and includes both Member States and candidate countries (Serbia and Turkey).