The project is an ‘evidence’ type of action addressing the need to enhance the implementation and correct application of Directive 96/71/EC, as amended by Directive (EU) 2018/957, and of Directive 2014/67/EU in the light of risks of vulnerability of posted workers due to COVID-19 and possible similar crises. Results shall inform policymaking on how specificities of posted workers can be dealt with in case similar emergencies arise in the future. The action targets mainly: Italy, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Romania and Spain through a network of sectoral funds (CNCE, ULAK, FLC Asturias, CASOC, and the umbrella organisation AEIP), research institutes/universities (FGB, ISCTE IUL) and a trade union (ZZ Budowlani). The lead applicant, CNCE, besides being directly involved in research activities, will coordinate the action with the support of FGB, tasked with scientific coordination, and of AEIP for dissemination activities. In addition, country-level research activities will be undertaken by ULAK for Germany, ISCTE-IUL for Portugal, ZZ Budowlani for Poland, and FLC Asturias for Spain. CNCE will hire an external researcher for Romania, to be supported by the associate organisation CASOC. Beyond having a balanced representation of sending and hosting countries, the action will focus on the construction sector, albeit exploring transferability of final results to other sectors. The action will deliver a set of reports: inquiring the impact of COVID-19 on posted workers (EU Report and 6 country reports), assessing measures meant to counteract the related negative effects (EU Handbook), exploring new tools to inquire pay, travel and accommodation arrangements offered to posted workers (Discussion Paper), and promoting procedures to be phased in quickly in case of risk of pandemics to address the particular position of posted workers (EU Toolkit and Final Report). 

The  project  encompasses ‘cooperation’,  ‘information’  and  ‘evidence’  activities concerning  posting  in  relation  with  skill  and  skill  recognition  in  the  construction sector. The action targets  mainly:  Italy, Germany, Spain  (plus  a  focus on  Autonomous Community   of  Asturias),  Portugal,  Poland,  and  Albany  with  the support  of European  Association  of  Paritarian  Institutions  (AEIP) organisation  to  reinforce dissemination  potentialities  beyond  this set of core countries. The  action  is  led  by  CNCE,  with  the  support  of  FGB,  and  involves  a  partner  in each covered  country -ISCTE-IUL  (Portugal),ULAK (Germany),Notus  (Spain), FLC  Asturias  (Spain),  ZZ  Budowlani  (Poland),  Polis  (Albania) -plus  AEIP,  as European  level  partner.The  action will  be  managed  by  CNCE  with  the  support  of  FGB.  In  addition,  for each work  package a coordinator  is indicated, assigning  AEIP  the task of leading dissemination,  and  dividing  the others between CNCE,  holding  coordination  tasks and  leading  activities  where  the  involvement   of  institutional  stakeholders  is crucial, and FGB,  managing  the more  research-oriented phases.The project aims  at improving  the understanding  of challenges  and opportunities concerning  posting  in  relation  with  skill  and  skill  recognition  in  the  construction sector,  and  at  identifying  solutions  to  remove  related  obstacles  to  fair  labour mobility  while  contributing  to a  decent work  agenda.Inparticular,  the  project answers   the   following    specific   objectives:(i) to   promote    transnational cooperation   between   stakeholders   dealing   with   posting;(ii) to   increase accessibility, transparency and quality  of information  available  to posted workers and their  employers;(iii)  to  promote  evidence  basis  on  skills  as  a  driver  for posting,  understanding  as well  related  barriers  and  opportunities.

The objective of this action is to reinforce transnational cooperation between authorities and stakeholders involved in the posting of workers in the construction sector, by promoting the establishment of information sharing agreements meant to monitor and ease the posting of workers. This will build on practices already in place in the covered countries, to be mapped and described through the country-level partners and with the support of AEIP. The preliminary screening identified two very promising practices. In Italy and France, sectoral funds, backed by the governments, negotiated and successfully concluded agreements simplifying procedures necessary to post workers abroad, while making sure employers posting workers abroad are in compliance with the payment of due wage elements (like the holiday pay), and easily allowing to check relevant information in the sending country if the need arises. Labour inspectorates between Portugal and Spain have been running for more than 15 years activities joint activities of cooperation and information sharing on the basis of a common agreement, meant to ensure effective monitoring of cross-border activities, including in case of posting. The inspectorates set up a framework for a quick and efficient information sharing when the need arises, organise joint inspections and regularly update each other in case of amendments to the national labour and social security legislation. In the other covered countries, institutions holding data potentially useful in the area of posting are involved, such as the Polish Social Security Institution (ZUS) and the Bulgarian Construction Chamber (BCC). The project will implement a meta-analysis of the selected agreements, by describing and presenting to stakeholders the process leading to the adoption, including the role of the government and of stakeholders and the legal, political and contextual conditions enabling the successful setup and implementation thereof.

Promotion of university volunteering for the prevention of violence among children and young people based on UBICOOL's project previous experience. The project led by CooLabora involves Portugal, Macedonia, Italy and Germany

Economic inequalities, social exclusion, discrimination against minorities, cultural resistance and disruption of social cohesion – these are all key concerns in the current European and global agenda, both in scholarly work and policy-making. RESISTANCE aims at analysing these issues by focusing on the processes of resistance carried out by social actors that have been historically disadvantaged, discriminated against and dominated. By using a concept of resistance that connects continued and less visible forms of resistance, cultural dissent and violent revolts, the ultimate goal of RESISTANCE is to produce a reinterpretation of the universe of “the dominated”. RESISTANCE will provide an understanding of how these actors could influence processes of social change, either by opening up societies to diversity and making them more inclusive and equal, or, conversely, by causing the increase of repression. Rooted in the disciplinary field of history, RESISTANCE uses the past as a laboratory for the analysis. Focusing on the former Portuguese and Spanish empires, this project privileges a comparative approach in time and space in order to investigate an extended time frame (sixteenth to mid-nineteenth centuries) and a spatial framework that encompasses Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. The past experiences of their societies, strongly grounded on ethnic, social, economic, cultural, religious, and gender inequality, still shape current political and social dynamics. RESISTANCE is led by the University of Évora, and made up of seven beneficiary universities in Portugal, Spain and Germany, plus six universities in third countries (Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Cape Verde, Mexico and USA). In addition to academic-type deliverables, RESISTANCE proposes an extensive range of dissemination and communication outputs specifically targeted at wide-ranging audiences (schools, museums, international agencies, think tanks, policy-makers, and more).

The project consists in the elaboration of a gender organizational diagnosis of Covilhã city council. A predominantly quantitative methodology is being used with a survey and statistical analysis of secondary data but qualitative techniques (documentary analysis, observation and interviews) are also being used. The results of this diagnosis will allow framing the organization in terms of gender equality thereforel informing political decision and to serve as a basis for the development of the municipality's equality plan. Team:  Catarina Sales Oliveira (Pólo CIES-UBI) and Sabrina Aparício (UBI)