The meeting was attended by 17 members from Western Balkans and European Union participating in Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) 2 regional project which is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Regional Cooperation Council.

Mrs. Christina Mihes, Senior Specialist of Social Dialogue and Labour Law of ILO, facilitated the meeting during which participants debated possible innovative ways to implement into national legislation the recommendation of the ILO Commission for the Future of Work regarding the establishment of a Universal Labour Guarantee (ULG). ULG would ensure that all workers, regardless of their contractual arrangement or employment status enjoy certain basic labour rights such as an ‘adequate living wage’, maximum limits on hours of work and protection of safety and health at work.

Participants reflected, among other things, on whether a completely new labour law placing work instead of employment relationship at the centre of labour law protection is needed. This approach could ensure protection inclusiveness according to the principle „people who work should enjoy rights at work”. Furthermore, questions such as what would distinguish a dependent self-employed from an independent contractor; what should a universal minimum package of labour rights consist of; or how individualisation of the employment relationship and the pandemic interacted were foci of lively discussions.

Following an established practice within the CEELEX network, the ideas and opinions expressed during the discussion will feed into a new ESAP publication, which will examine legal and practical solutions of translating the concept of Universal Labour Guarantee into national labour legislations.

CEELEX is a legal database containing labour and industrial relations related legal texts. ESAP 2 project will support national legal experts to update CEELEX and generate knowledge in the field of labour and industrial relations based on the collected information.