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Industrial relations and social dialogue

Industrial relations and social dialogue is one of Eurofound's main operational activities for its 2025–2028 programming period. Building on the past 50 years of research, Eurofound continues to function as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing developments in industrial relations and social dialogue at European and national levels and promoting dialogue between management and labour.

Eurofound’s research priorities are shaped by the opportunities and challenges arising from four mega-drivers: demographic change, climate change, technological change and re-globalisation. In the area of industrial relations and social dialogue, the Agency also continues to monitor, report and analyse developments in this area at sector and, as far as feasible, company levels. 

This research activity responds to the need to support social dialogue and provide comparative data on national institutional settings and developments as well as European-level developments.

Topic

Recent updates

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National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

Data Item

Eurofound research 2025

During 2025, Eurofound’s continues its regular reporting and monitoring of developments in industrial relations and social dialogue. Work continues on sectoral representativeness studies, at the request of the European Commission. Research also builds on the knowledge around the degree and form of the social partners’ involvement in national tripartite policymaking in the context of the European Semester.

Drawing on the expertise of the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, regular updating of the EU PolicyWatch database offers examples of collective agreements, company cases and other initiatives, and captures how national governments involve the social partners in policymaking.

In 2025, Eurofound begins preparation for the 2026 edition of the Tripartite Exchange Seminar, in cooperation with the relevant partners.

Topics of research include:

  • Minimum wages: Looking at how Member States have adapted their systems following the transposition of the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, including further experiences with pay transparency measures and an annual review of minimum wages
  • Working time: Monitoring developments, including regulation and outcomes
  • Involvement of the social partners: Social partners’ involvement in the governance of national public employment services and social security institutions in the EU
  • Collective bargaining: How collective bargaining can be promoted, the obstacles that could be removed, and the range of topics that are addressed in collective agreements
  • Caring for care services: Focusing on industrial relations aspects such as representation, collective bargaining and social dialogue in the sector
  • Representativeness studies: Various sectors
  • National reporting on industrial relations, social dialogue and working life
  • Working life country profiles update

What our experts say

...

We are there to support the dialogue between management and labour. And I think the data we draw together and the research we do is important, if it helps the actors themselves, to function better… A vibrant social dialogue is part of what you might call a social market economy, which is what the European Union is aiming to achieve.

Listen to our podcasts on issues around industrial relations and social dialogue

Eurofound Talks - A podcast series

 

Infographic: Industrial relations and social dialogue in the EU

Key challenges for industrial relations systems are changes in society, labour markets and the organisation of work.

Fewer than 1 in 3 EU workplaces with 10+ workers has some form of official employee representation.

See full infographic

Linking in with EU priorities

2025 marks the first year of the five-year period of the EU policy and legislative cycle for 2025–2029. The research and monitoring carried out in the area of industrial relations and social dialogue is relevant for a range of EU initiatives, such as:

  • the Council Recommendation and the Communication on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union
  • the implementation of the Directive on adequate minimum wages
  • the future of the European Works Councils
  • the Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed
  • the involvement of the social partners in the European Semester and the recovery and resilience plans
  • the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan

Key outputs

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Living and working in Europe 2023

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to...

2 Μάιος 2024
Publication
Annual report
Publications results (542)
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Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Civil aviation sector - Key findings

This document examines the process of assessing the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the civil aviation sector. It summarises the findings from a comprehensive study on representativeness in this sector. The study identifies ETF, ECA an

20 December 2022
Publication
Other
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Textiles and clothing sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the textile and clothing sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective

20 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
ef22047_card_cover.png

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Textile and clothing sector - Key findings

This document examines the process of assessing the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the textile and clothing sector. It summarises the findings from a comprehensive study on representativeness in this sector. The study identifies Indus

20 December 2022
Publication
Other
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Electricity sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the electricity sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation

02 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Κοινωνικός διάλογος και συλλογικές διαπραγματεύσεις στον τομέα της πολιτικής αεροπορίας κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19

Η παρούσα έκθεση αναλύει τον ρόλο του κοινωνικού διαλόγου και των συλλογικών διαπραγματεύσεων στην αντιμετώπιση των προκλήσεων που αντιμετωπίζει ο τομέας της πολιτικής αεροπορίας κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19. Η συμμετοχή των κοινωνικών εταίρων στα μέτρα που θεσπίστηκαν για τον μετριασμό

01 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Work organisation
Health and well-being
Collective bargaining
COVID-19
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Ο κοινωνικός διάλογος και οι συλλογικές διαπραγματεύσεις στον νοσοκομειακό κλάδο κατά τη διάρκεια της πανδημίας COVID-19

Στην παρούσα έκθεση αναλύεται ο ρόλος του κοινωνικού διαλόγου και των συλλογικών διαπραγματεύσεων για την αντιμετώπιση των προκλήσεων που δημιούργησε ή επιδείνωσε η πανδημία COVID-19 στον νοσοκομειακό κλάδο. Επίσης, διερευνάται αν οι υφιστάμενες διαδικασίες κοινωνικού διαλόγου και συλλογικών

01 December 2022
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Work organisation
Health and well-being
Care
Collective bargaining
COVID-19
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Ρύθμιση των κατώτατων μισθών και των λοιπών αμοιβών για τους αυτοαπασχολουμένους

Η παρούσα έκθεση εκπονείται στο πλαίσιο του τριετούς πιλοτικού έργου (2021-2023), με τίτλο «Ο ρόλος του κατώτατου μισθού στη θέσπιση της παγκόσμιας εγγύησης εργασίας», το οποίο ανατέθηκε στο Eurofound κατόπιν εντολής της Ευρωπαϊκής Επιτροπής. Εστιάζει στην ενότητα 3 του έργου, η οποία διερευνά τους

30 November 2022
Publication
Research report
Pay and income
Minimum wage
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Food and drinks sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the Food and drink sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective

23 November 2022
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Challenges and solutions: Case studies on European Works Councils

This working paper investigates the practical implementation of the European Works Council (EWC) Directive at company level. It explores the challenges faced by existing EWCs and provides examples of solutions identified and remaining issues from the point of view of both workers and management. In

25 October 2022
Publication
Other
Social dialogue
European Pillar of Social Rights
Employee representation
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Gas sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the gas sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation in the

06 September 2022
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
Online resources results (1807)

The 40-hour working week finally in force in Portugal

The 40-hour statutory working week finally came into force in Portugal on 1 December 1997. This feature discusses the implementation phase, over the first year of the 40-hour week law. The simultaneous introduction of a reduction in working time and new forms of flexibility have led to conflict in a

27 Δεκέμβριος 1997
Article
Working time
Collective bargaining
Work organisation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

CGTP questions representativeness of social partners

In late 1997, the CGTP trade union confederation has amplified its criticisms of Portugal's system of tripartite social concertation, pointing out anomalies, claiming that it is manipulated, and raising the issue of the social partners' representativeness.

27 Δεκέμβριος 1997
Article
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The trade unionist of the 1990s?

The face of UK trade unionism is changing, according to evidence published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Trade unionists today [1] (August 1997), based on analysis of the autumn 1996 Labour Force Survey. In the past, according to the TUC, the typical UK trade unionist was once generally

27 Δεκέμβριος 1997
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Public services
Industrial relations
Living conditions and quality of life
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Joint committee for the Belgian social and cultural sector

After a 20-year wait, a trade union-employer joint committee was set up in February 1996 in the Belgian social and cultural sector. It covers a very broad and varied range of activities, and by late 1997 had already concluded several collective agreements and considered six industrial disputes.

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Social partners
Industrial action
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Debate on overall reduction of working time in Belgium

In Belgium, the debate on the generalised reduction of working time has entered the social and political arena by the backdoor in autumn 1997. Even before the Government and social partners had discussed the issue, experiments had been tried out in a few firms including Volkswagen in the Brussels

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Working time
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Employment Summit: Belgium demands quantifiable employment objectives

The Luxembourg Presidency of the European Union organised a special Employment Summit [1] European Council meeting on 20-21 November 1997 (EU9711168F [2]). In order to prepare for the event, the Belgian Government and social partners organised a conference aimed at formulating the point of view of

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Labour market policies
Social partners
Working time
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Employment with temporary work agencies in Germany

As with other countries such as Sweden (SE9705120F [1]), Norway (NO9708118F [2]) and Spain (ES9702103N [3]), Germany is witnessing an ongoing debate on employment with temporary work agencies (TWA s) and its industrial relations consequences. Against the background of steadily increasing numbers of

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Non-standard employment
Working conditions and sustainable work
Labour law
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Recent debates on pay policy in Germany

Since the late 1980s German collective bargaining has become increasingly overshadowed by growing mass unemployment, leading to a continuing controversy about pay policy and its impact on employment. Many employers' associations, with the support of "neo-liberal" politicians and economists, have

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Collective bargaining
Pay and income
Unemployment
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Spanish unions bring campaign against industrial accidents into companies

In October 1997, the UGT and CC.OO union confederations began an awareness and action-oriented campaign in protest against the increase in the number of industrial accidents in Spain. The unions demand immediate compliance by organisations with current legislation on health and safety at work.

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Health and well-being
Labour law
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Divergent attitudes towards working time and employment

Trade unions, employers and the Spanish Government began negotiations in October 1997 on working time and employment, with a wide range of topics to discuss. The first topic is the reduction of overtime and its replacement by new contracts.

27 Νοέμβριος 1997
Article
Working time
Collective bargaining
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (22)
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How to ensure adequate minimum wages in an age of inflation

Minimum wages have risen significantly in 2022, as the EU Member States leave behind the cautious mood of the pandemic. However, rising inflation is eating up these wage increases, and only flexibility in the regular minimum wage setting processes may avoid generalised losses in purchasing power amo

15 Ιούνιος 2022
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Pay and income
Minimum wage
Agreements
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Resumed EU Semester calls for better involvement of the social partners in implementing recovery and resilience plans

With the arrival of the month of May, the 2022 European Semester Spring Package is anticipated soon. After a transformative year in 2021, which saw the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU, the European Semester cycle has resumed its role as the reference frame

3 Μάιος 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
ef21081.png

Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that na

18 Ιούνιος 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Minimum wages rise again, but the pandemic puts a brake on their growth

Decision-makers approached minimum wage setting for 2021 cautiously due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Despite this, nominal statutory minimum wages rose in most Member States and the UK, although at lower rates than in recent years.

8 Ιούνιος 2021
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working poor
Minimum wage
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour market policies
Industrial relations and social dialogue
image_blog_collective_bargaining_28102020.png

New impetus to collective bargaining: Insights from the ECS

In the context of the ongoing trend of a fall in collective bargaining coverage, and recent calls at EU level to promote collective bargaining coverage as an instrument to support fair and decent wages, new data from Eurofound’s fourth European Company Survey (ECS) show that two-thirds of workers (i

28 Οκτώβριος 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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What Europe can learn from living-wage campaigns

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is having drastic consequences for the world of work. In most European countries workers who are not delivering essential ‘frontline’ services are being asked to stay home. Unfortunately many are out of work, while many of those who are not are minimum-wage and low

1 Απρίλιος 2020
John Hurley
Blog
COVID-19
Working poor
Working conditions and sustainable work
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Fears and hopes around future minimum wages

As one of their ‘100 days in office’ initiatives, the new European Commission intends to propose an initiative for an EU minimum wage. The aim is that by 2024 every worker in the EU should earn a fair and adequate wage, no matter where they live.

15 Ιανουάριος 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Restructuring: Do unions still matter?

Trade unions in many EU Member States face the issue of declining membership. This is a fundamental challenge for organised labour, but it is premature to speak about the redundancy unions: when it comes to important decisions affecting the workplace, restructuring being one, trade unions remain a p

20 Νοέμβριος 2019
Sara Riso
Blog
Restructuring
Working conditions
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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100 years of 8-hour working days

The International Labour Organization (ILO) met for the first time 100 years ago, and right at the top of the agenda for discussion for this new specialised UN agency was the 8-hour working day. This discussion subsequently resulted in the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which stated that ‘The

12 Νοέμβριος 2019
Nils Brandsma
Blog
Working time
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Member States still getting to grips with the single labour market

The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law guarantee

17 Ιούλιος 2019
Helen Burke
Blog
Posted workers
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Undeclared work
Fraudulent work
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
Upcoming publications results (10)

Representativeness study: Agriculture

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

March 2026
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Maritime transport

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

December 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Footwear

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Ports

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Tanning and leather

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

October 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Collective bargaining beyond pay: An analysis of collective agreements in selected low-paid sectors

This report analyses and compares the content of 98 collective agreements across three low-wage sectors in 12 EU Member States. The project builds on Eurofound’s database of collective agreements related to low-paid workers, collected for the Agency’s pilot project on minimum wages.

October 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Graphical sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the graphical industry. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation

September 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness study: Temporary Agency Work

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

August 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Minimum wages in 2025: Annual review

The 2025 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting across the EU27 and Norway during 2024. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes of setting the minimum wage rates for 2025 and beyond.

July 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Pay and income
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Impact of national minimum wages on collective bargaining and wages of low-paid groups

This research report analyses how changes to national minimum wages impact collectively agreed wages and actual wages for selected low-paid jobs and sectors. The methodology combines quantitative (econometric) and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis uses Eurofound’s database of collectiv

June 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Data results (11)

National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

29 Ιανουάριος 2025
Πηγή:
Minimum wages
Reference period:
2025

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on economic and social cohesion, productivity and competitiveness, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Main setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on health, and economic, social and institutional resilience, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Assessment of the evolution of quality of involvement in implementation of reforms and investments in the RRP since the establishment of the RRF, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on the green transition and environmental sustainability, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Degree of satisfaction regarding involvement in implementation of digital transition policies, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Assessment of the potential influence of the measures and reforms included in the RRPs, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Number of Member States that use each type of institutional setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies for the next generation, EU Member States, 2023

26 Φεβρουάριος 2024

Disclaimer

When freely submitting your request, you are consenting Eurofound in handling your personal data to reply to you. Your request will be handled in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. More information, please read the Data Protection Notice.

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