Eurofound Foundation Forum 2025

On 19–20 November 2025, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) hosted its 8th Foundation Forum at IMMA Venues, Dublin. This flagship event is the agency’s quadrennial high-level forum, taking place every four years over the past two decades and organised in cooperation with the Irish Government. In 2025, it also formed part of Eurofound’s broader celebration of its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of evidence-based contributions to EU social, labour and employment policy.

Titled “Europe’s Social Model – the Key to Competitive Growth”, Forum 2025 brought together senior policymakers, thought leaders, researchers and social partners to explore how Europe can achieve sustainable, socially inclusive prosperity amid rapid structural change and global competition. The programme featured keynote addresses, interactive panel sessions, plenary discussions and opportunities for audience engagement, reflecting on both Europe’s achievements and the challenges ahead.

One highlighted session focused on “The Future of Social Investment”. Chaired by academic and policy experts including Professor Michelle Norris (Director, Geary Institute), this panel examined how investment in people, social infrastructure and quality employment underpins Europe’s economic resilience. Alongside Michelle Norris, panellists such as Katalin Deppner-Quittner (European Investment Bank), Phil Ní Sheaghdha (INMO/ICTU), Mila Shamku (SSE), Sven Schreurs (University of Amsterdam) and Massimiliano Mascherini (Eurofound) stressed that social investment is far more than a moral imperative; it is a strategic foundation for competitive growth in Europe’s evolving economy.

Forum 2025 also drew a distinguished audience. The event was attended by the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, signalling Ireland’s commitment to EU social policy debate; Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills at the European Commission, who has championed training and job quality as key competitive assets; and Li Andersson, Chair of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, affirming the European Parliament’s role in shaping social dialogue.

Across sessions, key themes emerged: the necessity of human-centric technological adoption (especially in the context of artificial intelligence), the imperative of quality job creation and worker engagement, and addressing pressing housing affordability issues as core constraints on competitiveness. Participants emphasised that prosperity and growth must be pursued not at the expense of people or the planet, but alongside robust social protection systems that embody the European social model.

For more information, visit the (opens in a new window)Eurofound website.