The Eurofound performance monitoring system (EPMS) aims to foster a culture of continuous organisational improvement. Using a series of instruments for ongoing monitoring and evaluation, it provides the necessary information for accountability of organisational performance as expressed in Eurofound’s programming document and multiannual strategy documents. This is visualised in the diagram below.
Evaluation is defined as an evidence-based learning and judgement. It assesses the extent to which an intervention has been:
relevant, given the needs and its mandate and objectives
effective and efficient
coherent both internally and with other EU policy interventions and achieved EU added value
Eurofound evaluation practices are based on the principles of the European Commission’s Better Regulation Guidelines and Better Regulation Toolkit(opens in new tab)This link opens in a new tab. The purpose of evaluation is to promote accountability and continuous improvement.
Eurofound’s evaluation programme distinguishes between thematic evaluation and recurring activities such as user feedback and project reviews.
Separately, Eurofound is evaluated every five years by the European Commission specifically to assess its performance in relation to its objectives, mandate and tasks. Whilst assessing the performance of the agency, they also make an assessment of the other Agencies in the employment and social policy field (EU OSHA, CEDEFOP, ETF and now ELA) in a cross-cutting and comparative perspective.
The latest evaluation covered the programming period 2017-2022 (that included the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine). Its findings (published in 2024) found that the four Agencies operated effectively during the period, achieving many of their objectives to a high degree. The quality of the Agencies’ outputs, as well as the use of these outputs by stakeholders, was high and these outputs informed EU policymakers.
The recommendations that follow the findings are followed up in Action plans and reported on in the annual work programme 2025 (annex IX).
6 January 2025
This programming document outlines Eurofound's planned activities for the programming period 2025–2028. It provides the policy and institutional context for the programme, outlines the multiannual programme for the four-year period and sets out the work programme for 2025.
Amid evolving EU policies, the European Parliament elections in 2024, the election of a new European Commission and an uncertain global economic and social climate, Eurofound adopts a flexible and systemic approach to its research. Drawing on its core expertise in the areas of working conditions, industrial relations, employment and living conditions, Eurofound will address the opportunities and challenges posed by four mega-drivers: climate change, demographic change, technological change, and re-globalisation and geopolitical reconfiguration. Eurofound will continue to support its stakeholders by providing evidence to support their policy action.
