Labour Law and Social Security

European Labour Law Network

This research concerns a network of labour law specialists in the EU. The growing internationalization of the economic market and the employment market has a major impact on legislation and research of labour law. Particularly within the European Union labour law is subject to constant development.

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In 2005, the employment of professors Guus Heerma van Voss (Leiden University) and Bernd Waas (Goethe University Frankfurt/ Germany) established a network of specialists in the field of labour law, where all countries of the European Union are represented. This network is called the European Labour Law Network.

First, the ELLN established a study group to set up a so-called Restatement of European Labour, i.e. the objective of the study is to develop common principles and a reference in labour law. The study group currently consists of 30 members (labour law experts from all member states, including Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland in the countries of the European Economic Area). The study group works independently and in academic freedom. The group is assisted by an Advisory Board in which employment specialists from outside the European Union are represented.

In 2008, a second project is added to ELLN. A contract has been signed with the European Commission (Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) as a network to report on developments in individual and collective labour law. This takes the form of writing Quarterly Reports per participating country, answering specific questions from the European Commission, the writing of an annual Thematic report and organizing an annual legal conference. All 27 EU countries are participating, as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway as countries from the European Economic Area.
This website contains current information about European labour law and its application in Member States.