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„Flexicurity and New Forms of Employment (Challenges regarding Modernization of Croatian Labour Law)“

Project Summary

Security of employment is the matter of the past. The old model of almost life-long employment relationship, accompanied with acceptable wage for worker and his/her loyalty and obedience in return, exist no more. At the scene of a new world of work, there are new concepts and requests: of employability, flexibility and flexicurity. Croatian legislator has to face all of them. Development of Croatian labour law in the past decade has been marked with, first of all, harmonization of labour legislation with acquis communautaire, in a process of EU accession. New Labour Act was enacted, in August 2014. One of the fundamental characteristics of recent reform is further flexibilization of labour law. Situation at the labour market is negative; in September 2014, unemployment rate has reached the number of 287.000 persons without job. Croatia has a segmented labour market. Traditional (regular) labour relationship gives the place to atypical forms of employment. Although the economic crisis could be the reason for that situation, Croatian labour legislation play an important role.
European countries introduced flexible labour markets forced by the need to stay competitive in the time of powerful economic changes. There is no doubt that flexibility and/or flexicurity have not only positive effects, but also negative aspects that should be analysed. In the Report Employment in Europe 2006 of the European Commision, flexicurity is defined as „optimal balance between flexibility of labour market and security of employee from the labour market risks“. According to the European Commission’s The Green Paper: Modernising Labour Law to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century, in 2006, it is crucial to revise the traditional model of the employment relationship (with overly protective terms and conditions), i.e. to deregulate national labour law standards, to foster the creativity of the whole workforce and to enable the employers and the workforce to better adapt to the rapidly developing and competitive business environment. Not only scientific, but also policy debate on the flexicurity strategies will have to continue. Important question is how further flexibilisation of the labour market will affect new systems of social security. The relationships between social security and international standards, especially those concerning decent work, are considered to be crucial for the future of labour law. International and supranational minimum standards of worker's protection in a case of termination of employment are of the fundamental importance. Recent labour legislation reforms in several EU member states have challenged the standard of valid reason for dismissal and consequently the model of employment security.
In the last decade a great importance is given to different non-standard (atypical) forms of employment. It could be defined as a notion that include different forms of work: part-time work, temporary work with agencies for employment, fixed-term employment, sessional work, temporary work, work at home, tele-work, self-employment and housekeeping work. Special question is if there are prerequisites for the enactment of such a legal instrument at the European level which would guarantee a certain level of rights for all atypical workers, in line to prevent abuses of their weaker position and guarantee a minimal standard of decent work.
The task of the research team is to analyse the actual legal framework in the Republic of Croatia, the legal framework at the EU level, the EU Member states national legislation, along with relevant national jurisdiction case law and the case law of the Court of Justice of the EU and the European Court for Human Rights, to define fundamental research questions and problems connected to flexicurity and new, atypical forms of work. On such basis the research team will determine a new regulatory framework with the suggested de lege ferenda models, which will represent a unique contribution of the present research. The outcomes of this Project will be new de lege ferenda models developed and tested during the course of the Project intended to be implemented in Croatia. The results will be made publicly visible and disseminated in a report and in written materials in international and domestic literature (an accessible summary of the findings aimed at policy makers and at scientific, professional and wide public), along with conference presentation and papers. The results will be based upon the Project objectives: Mapping of initiatives in the area of research interest; determining the pros and cons of the actual regulatory framework in line to highlight the state of facts, and to form the base for the next research stages; developing of new regulatory framework (models) in Croatia and exchange of experience and best practices.

Research Highlights

Recently published articles:

1. Smokvina Vanja, New issues in the labour relationships in professional football: social dialogue, implementation of the first autonomous agreement in Croatia and Serbia and the new sports labour law cases, The International Sports Law Journal, Vol. 15 (2015), no. 3-4, pp.  1-13 (scientific article indexed by: SCOPUS, Google Scholar, OCLC, SCImago, SPOLIT, Summon by ProQuest),
2. Smokvina Vanja, Iveta Vladimir, The implementation of FIFA Regulations in Croatia, pp. 168-180, in  FIFA Regulations on working with intermediaries. Its implementation at national level (Ed. Michele Colucci), Sports Law and Policy Centre, Salerno, 2015. (book chapter),
3. Laleta Sandra, Bodiroga-Vukobrat Nada, Fleksigurnost i (de)regulacija tržišta rada, Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Vol. 37, no. 1, pp. 33-69 (scientific article indexed by: HeinOnline Law Journal Library (William S. Hein & Co., Inc., USA),Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (HeinOnline), Sociological Abstracts, Worldwide Political Science Abstracts, Linguistic and Language Behavior Abstracts  – CSA (ProQuest), and Political Science Complete  (EBSCO), and are published on the Portal of scientific journals of Croatia - Hrčak),
4. Bilić, Andrijana, Laleta, Sandra, Barešić, Antea, The challenges of part-time work in the context of flexicurity, pp. 63-96, in: New Developments in EU Labour, Equality and Human Rights Law (Ed. Mario Vinković), Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek Faculty of Law - Jean Monnet Chair in EU Labour, Equality and Human Rights Law, 2015,
5. Učur, Marinko Đ., Smokvina, Vanja, Posebnosti radnopravnog statusa radnika u pomorskom ribarstvu s posebnim osvrtom na radno vrijeme i odmore, pp. 98-106, Naše more, Vol. 63 (2016) no. 4, Supplement (scientific article indexed by: Scopus, Elsevier, Embase, Compedex, Geobase, Embiology, Biobase, Fluidex, World Textiles, Penrose-Press, Hrčak, DOAJ, Ebsco Publishing,Proquest, Index Copernicus),
6. Smokvina Vanja, Iveta Vladimir, The implementation of FIFA Regulations in Croatia, pp. 219-233, in  FIFA Regulations on working with intermediaries. Implementation at national level, II Edition (Ed. Michele Colucci), Sports Law and Policy Centre, Salerno, 2016 (book chapter),
7. Pošćić, Ana,  Bačić, Maja, De minimis potpore u pravu tržišnog natjecanja, Pravo i porezi, 2017, no. 2, pp. 72-82.
8. Smokvina, Vanja, Collective Dismissal in Croatia, pp. 35-49, in Collective Dismissal in the European Union, A Comparative Analysis (Eds. Roberto Cosio, Filippo Curcuruto, Vincenzo di Cerbo, Giovanni Mammonne), Kluwer Law International, Aalphen aan den Rijn, 2017.
9. Laleta, Sandra, Instrumenti implementacije Okvirnog sporazuma o stresu na radu i u vezi s radom – s osvrtom na „atipične“ radnike (Collection of Papers 6th International Professional and Scientific Conference “Occupational Safety and Health”, 21– 24.09.2016, Zadar), Veleučilište u Karlovcu (Karlovac), pp. 946-952, (article published in the Collection of Papers  of a Scientific Conference, full paper),
10. Bodiroga-Vukobrat Nada, Pošćić Ana, The Application of State Aid Rules in the Republic of Croatia before and after the Accession to the European Union, in: Political Sciences, Law, Finance, Economics and Tourism Conference Proceedings, Volume II, SGEM, pp. 487-493, (article published in the Collection of Papers  of a Scientific Conference, full paper),
11. Laleta, Sandra, Kotulovski, Karla, Profesionalizacija udomiteljstva u hrvatskom i usporednom pravu: radnopravni i socijalnopravni aspekti, Djeca i mladi u alternativnoj skrbi, in: Zaštita prava na zdravlje  (Eds. S. Popović, J. Zloković), Filozofski fakultet u Rijeci, 2017, pp. 75-103 (original scientific paper),
12. Pošćić, Ana, Procedural Aspects of EU State Aid Law, pp. 490-501, u EU and Comparative Law Issues and Challenges (Eds. Dunja Dujić, Tunjica Petrašević), Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta J.J. Strossmayer, Osijek, 2017, (book chapter),
13. Laleta Sandra, Restructuring of Companies and Employment Security, Economic and Social Development, 22nd International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development – The Legal Challenges of Modern World) (Eds. Ž. Radić et al.), Collection of Papers of the Scientific Conference, Split,  pp. 179-189, (article published in the Collection of Papers  of a Scientific Conference, full paper),
14. Bilić Andrijana, Perkušić Trpimir, Croatian Labour Market Development Perspectives in the Context of Flexicurity, Economic and Social Development, 22nd International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development – The Legal Challenges of Modern World (Eds. Ž. Radić et al.), Collection of Papers of the Scientific Conference, Split, pp. 434-447, (article published in the Collection of Papers  of a Scientific Conference, full paper),
15. Senčur-Peček, Darja, Laleta, Sandra, Kraljić, Suzana, Labour law implications of outsourcing in public sector, Lex localis, 2017, no 3., (scientific paper),
16.  Hiessl, Christina, Laleta, Sandra, Implementation problems of the Collective Redundancies Directive and their consequences: the Croatian example, Europäische Zeitschrift für Arbeitsrecht, Heft 3/2017, pp. 441-454, (scientific paper),
17. Laleta, Sandra, Senčur Peček, Darja, Atipični rad – izazovi zaštite od psihosocijalnih rizika i stresa na radu i u vezi s radom, Sigurnost, Vol. 59., No. 4, 2017, pp. 315-330 (original scientific paper)
18. Smokvina, Vanja, Disciplinary Procedures in Croatian Football, pp. 279.-301., in Disciplinary Procedures In Football - An International and Comparative Analysis (Ed. Marc Cavaliero, Michele Colucci),  Sports Law and Policy Centre, 2017. (book chapter)
19. Senčur Peček, Darja, Laleta, Sandra, Ugovor o radu i ugovor o djelu: područje primjene radnog zakonodavstva, Zbornik Pravnog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Rijeci, vol. 39 (2018) No. 1., pp. 411-456 (scientific acrticle).
20. Calafà, Laura, Immigration and labour policies: paradoxes of the European Union, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
21. Bodiroga-Vukobrat, Nada, Pošćić, Ana, Martinović, Adrijana, Making a Living in the ‘Gig’ Economy: Last Resort or a Reliable Alternative?, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
22. Bilić, Andrijana, Functional Flexibility in the Context of Lifelong Learning, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
23. Knudsen, Herman, Lind, Jens, Danish Flexicurity – Not the Same Today as Yesterday, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
24. Pennings, Frans, Dilemmas in Organizing the Labour Market; Experiences with Flexicurity in the Netherlands, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
25. Božić, Mijo, Sander, Gerald G., Temporary Agency Work in Germany – A Short History and the Situation de lege lata, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
26. Grgurev, Ivana, Vukorepa, Ivana, Flexible and New Forms of Employment in Croatia and their Pension Entitlement Aspects, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
27. Laleta, Sandra, Individual Dismissal in Croatia, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
28. Senčur Peček, Darja, Forms of Work Performed in the Republic of Slovenia, in Transnational, European, and National Labour Relations (Eds. Sander, G. G., Tomljenović, V., Bodiroga-Vukobrat, N.), Springer, 2018. (book chapter) – in press.
29. Smokvina, Vanja, Laleta, Sandra, The Role of Collective Bargaining in Labour Law Regimes – Croatia, Springer, 2018. (book chapter) -  in press.
30. Drageljević, Tatjana, Smokvina, Vanja, Posebnost štrajka s aspekta sudske prakse, Radno pravo, No. 5, 2018, pp. 3-15 (article).
31. Vlahov, Lorena, Smokvina, Vanja, U prilog raspravi o fleksigurnosti i novim oblicima rada, Hrvatska pravna revija, No. 3, 2018, pp. 22-35 (article).
32. Smokvina, Vanja, Trasformazione del diritto del lavoro in Croazia dal 1990 fino ad oggi (passando per l’Unione europea), Lavoro e diritto, Vol. 32, No. 3, 2018, pp. 551-571 (article indexed in Scopus).

Conferences:

International Scientific Conference: Flexicurity and New Forms of Employment – The Challenges of the Modernization of Croatian Labour Law (22 April 2016, Faculty of Law University of Rijeka – organizers: Faculty of Law University in Rijeka and the Croatian Science Foundation)

Presentations from the conference
Pictures Gallery

International Scientific Conference: Justification of the employment of youth in atypical forms of employment (12 May 2017, Faculty of Law University of Rijeka – organizers: Faculty of Law University in Rijeka and the Croatian Science Foundation)
 
Presentations from the conference
Pictures Gallery
 
International Scientific Conference Organisation of the labour market: stimmulating innovation and the growth of skills, 25 May 2018 (Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka)

Presentations from the conference
Pictures Gallery


Dissemination of the results of the research (papers presetnation on conferences)

1. Senčur Peček, Darja: Novejša sodna praksa Sodišča EU, Aktualna vprašanja delovnoga prava, Moravske toplice, Slovenia, 11-12.03. 2016,
2. Bodiroga-Vukobrat, Nada:  Fleksigurnost i (de)reguliranje tržišta rada, XXII. SAVJETOVANJE PRAVNIKA PETAR SIMONETTI (VLASNIŠTVO – OBVEZE – POSTUPAK), Poreč, Croatia, 13. - 15. 04.2016.
3. Senčur Peček, Darja: Urejanje delovnih razmerjih poslovodnih oseb (direktorjev) gospodarskih družb, Gospodarski subjekti na trgu in evropske dimenzije, Portorož. Slovenia, 19-21.05.2016,
4. Senčur Peček, Darja:Pojam delavca s primerjalnega in EU vidika, XV. Dnevi delovnog prava in socijalne varnosti, Portorož, Slovenia, 02-03.06.2016,
5. Smokvina, Vanja: Fixed-term work in professional sports: Dahmane, Müller… next please, 11th Sport&EU Conference, Madrid, Spain, 27-28.06.2016,
6. Laleta, Sandra, Instrumenti implementacije okvirnog sporazuma o stresu na radu i u vezi s radom – s osvrtom na „atipične radnike“, 6th International Professional and Scientific Conference “Occupational Safety and Health”, Zadar, Croatia, 21– 24.09.2016,
7. Laleta, Sandra: Restrukturiranje trgovačkih društava i sigurnost zaposlenja, XXIII. Savjetovanje pravnika Petar Simonetti (Vlasništvo – Obveze – Postupak), Poreč, Croatia, 15-17.03.2017,
8. Senčur Peček, Darja: Precarious work in Slovenia, International seminar „Precarious work“, Lodz, Poland, 23.03.2017,
9. Pošćić, Ana: Procedural Aspects of EU State Aid Law, "International Scientific Jean Monnet Conference - Procedural aspects of EU law“, Osijek, Croatia, 06-07.04.2017,
10. Martinović, Adrijana:  Applying the Burden of Proof Rules in Gender Discrimination Cases, International Scientific Jean Monnet Conference -Procedural aspects of EU law“, Osijek, Croatia, 06-07.04.2017,
11. Senčur Peček, Darja: Zaposlovanje, vključevanje agencijskih delavcev in sklepanje pogodb s samozaposlenimi - med učinkovitostjo in zakonitostjo, Konferenciji Gospodarski subjekti na trgu in evropske dimenzije, Portorož, Slovenia, 18 -20.05.2017,
12. Senčur Peček, Darja: Delovni čas v dobi stalne dosegljivosti, XVI. Dnevi delovnega prava in socialne varnosti, Portorož, Slovenia, 08-09.06.2017,
13. Hiessl, Christina: Collective labour rights of the self-employed, Seoul Labour Law Professors' Monthly Seminar, Seul, N. Korea, 17. 06.2017,
14. Hiessl, Christina: Collective Labour Relations and the Self-employed: Prospects of a difficult but very necessary integration, Labour Law Reasearch Network (LLRN)'s Annual Congress, Toronto, Canada, 25-27.06.2017,
15. Laleta, Sandra: Restructuring of Companies and Employment Security, "Economic and Social Development, 22nd International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development – “The Legal Challenges of Modern World”, Split, Croatia, 29-30.06.2017,
16. Bilić, Andrijana: Croatian Labour Market Development Perspectives in the Context of Flexicurity, "Economic and Social Development, 22nd International Scientific Conference on Economic and Social Development – “The Legal Challenges of Modern World”, Split, Croatia, 29- 30.06.2017
17. Senčur Peček, Darja, Laleta, Sandra: Ugovor o radu i ugovor o djelu: područje primjene radnog zakonodavstva,  XXIV. Savjetovanje pravnika “Petar Simonetti (Vlasništvo – Obveze – Postupak)“, Poreč, 11. – 13.04. 2018.
18. Pošćić, Ana, Laleta, Sandra: Sharing economy and workers' protection, International Scientific Conferences Economics of Digital Transformation (EDT) DIGITOMIC 2018, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics, Opatija, 02. – 04.05. 2018.
19. Laleta, Sandra: Rad po mjeri čovjeka, Conference organised by the Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (Saveza samostalnih sindikata Hrvatske) and Hans Ebert Stiftung, Zagreb, 09.05.2018. (invited lecture at the panel discussion).
20. Smokvina, Vanja: Ljudska prava u radnom pravu – osvrt na atipične oblike rada, Korzo ljudskih prava –ELSA Rijeka, Rijeka, 09.05.2018.
21. Laleta, Sandra: Tribina: Ali vi ste žensko! – Što tržište rada poručuje ženama?, organised by Inicijativa Radno i ravnopravno and Udruga za ljudska prava i građansku participaciju PaRiter, Rijeka, Ex Libris, 28.05.2018.
22. Smokvina, Vanja: Social Dialogue in Context – EU Standards and Croatian Reality, "EU LAW IN CONTEXT - ADJUSTMENT TO MEMBERSHIP AND CHALLENGES OF THE ENLARGEMENT ECLIC)", Faculty of Law, Osijek, 14.-15.06.2018.


Participation of team members at scientific conferences:
 
1. Bodiroga-Vukobrat, Nada:  2015 Annual Conference and General Assembly, European Law Institute, Vienna, Austria, 02- 04.09.2015,
2. Martinović, Adrijana: 3rd International Conference: Legal Reform and EU Enlargement – Transfer of Experiences “Digital Market Strategy: Legal, Economic and Educational Perspectives”, Zagreb, Croatia, 21-23.03.2016,
3. Pošćić, Ana: 3rd International Conference: Legal Reform and EU Enlargement – Transfer of Experiences “Digital Market Strategy: Legal, Economic and Educational Perspectives”, Zagreb, Croatia, 21-23.03.2016,
4. Laleta, Sandra: Međunarodna konferencija XV. Dnevi delovnog prava in socijalne varnosti, Portorož, Slovenia, 02- 03.06.2016,
5. Grgurev, Ivana: The Personal Scope of Labour Law in Times of Atypical Employment and Digitalisation, European Centre of Expertise (ECE), Frankfurt, Germany, 28.04.2017,
6. Vukorepa, Ivana: The Personal Scope of Labour Law in Times of Atypical Employment and Digitalisation, European Centre of Expertise (ECE), Frankfurt, Germany, 28.04.2017,
7. Zilli, Anna:  10th Seminar for young researchers on “European Labour Law and Social Law”, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11-13.05.2017.
8. Laleta, Sandra: Novelties in Labour Law, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law, 23.04. 2018.


Study visits of team members:
 
1. Smokvina Vanja: University of Udine, Italy, 15-16.02.2016; 22-23.02.2016,
2. Laleta, Sandra: Faculty of Law University of Maribor, Slovenia, 12-18.06.2016,
3. Smokvina Vanja: Edge Hill University, UK, 25-29.10.2016, giving a lecture to the “Sports Law” class on the topic: "Sports Law from some other point of view - the case of Croatia", 28.10.2016,
4. Smokvina Vanja: Association of Hungarian employers and industrials, Budapest, Hungary, 13. - 15.03.2017
5. Laleta Sandra: Pravni fakultet u Mariboru, Slovenija, 19. - 23. 6. 2017.
6. Pošćić Ana: Max-Planck-Institut für ausländisches und internationales Privatrecht , Hamburg, Deutschland (srpanj 2017.)


New collaboration as a result of this Project – participation in other projects:

“CEELAB - Improving knowledge on the impact of Central - and Eastern European social partners on competitive labour market reforms facing the global crisis“ VP/2016/004/0026


Additional activities connected to the project:
 
1.  Lecture of Mrs. Mirela Rašić, Representation of the European Commission in Croatia: „Future of Europe – what Young People may do for the EU?” Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka, 05.04.2017,




2. International Scientific Conference: 3rd Rijeka Sports Law Day, Introduction to EU sports law, The legal framework in Football – different aspects, Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka, 27.04.2017.,

Pictures Gallery


Work Meetings of the Project Team Members:

1^st Work Meeting held on 23^rd October 2015 at the Faculty of Law University in Rijeka.




2^nd Work Meeting held on 14 January 2016 at the Faculty of Law University in Rijeka.





Lectures:

Professor Frans Pennings (Utrecht School of Law, the Netherlands) held a lecture about the coordination of the social security (14 January 2016, Faculty of Law University in Rijeka).









Professor Christina Hiessl (Institut für Arbeitsrecht und Arbeitsbeziehungen in der Europäische Union, Trier, Germany / Yonsei University, Graduate School of Social Welfare, N. Korea), held a lecture on 15.03.2017 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic The Social Dimension of EU Law (Its Foundations, Present-Day Challenges and the Way Forward)


Professor Marina Brollo (University of Udine, Italy) held a lecture on 11.05.2017 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic The Employers Rights and Flexibility of leading a Company after the Jobs Act.





Professor Gerald G. Sander (Hochschule für öffentliche Verwaltung und Finanzen Ludwigsburg, Germany) held a few lectures 06-08.06.2017 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic Different Aspects of the Development of the German Civil Law and certain institutes of BGB and other legal sources.

Dorotea Zec, LLM (Seafarers Trade Union of Croatia) held a lecture on 21.03.2018 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic Trade Unions, collective bargaining, social dialogue and International Labour Organisation (ILO).




Dijana Kesonja, LLB. (Republic of Croatia, Ombudswoman) held a lecture on 24.04.2018 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic Discrimination in the Labour Relationship

                


Hrvoje Tramontana, LLB. (Croatian Employment Service, Regional Office in Rijeka) held a lecture on 30.05.2018 at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka with the topic Presentation of the measures of employment and fight against unemployment by the CES




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