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Assessments and other Activities as Official Experts

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Dr. Thomas Klein as official expert for the Bundestag Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
On the 23rd of January 2018, the Bundestag Committee for Employment and Social Affairs held a public session in which the CDU/CSU and SPD presented their draft of legislation for the protection of social fund procedures for the construction industry (Sozialkassenverfahrensicherungsgesetz – SokaSiG – BT-Drs. 18/10631). Altogether, 12 experts presented testimony, among them representatives from employers‘ associations, labour unions, Social Fund: Construction and individual experts from the academic field. Dr. Thomas Klein (staff member from the IAAEU legal team) testified on matters concerning the constitutionality, the necessity and the construction of the proposed legislation. The written appraisal which Dr. Klein prepared in advance of the session can be found on the Bundestag committee’s internet site. Additionally, an article on the protection of social fund procedures in the construction industry from Dr. Klein has been published in the Zeitschrift Arbeit und Recht (AuR Heft 2/2017).
Dr. Thomas Klein as official expert for the Bundestag Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
On the 19th of June 2017, the Bundestag Committee for Employment and Social Affairs held a public session in which the CDU/CSU and SPD presented their draft of legislation for the protection of social procedures concerning collective labour agreements as well proposed changes to labour court laws (for the draft legislation see: Bundestagsdrucksache 18/12510). The legislation aims to protect the general applicability of a series of social fund collective agreements. The claim of general applicability, based on collective agreement laws, had been called into question by recent rulings from the labour courts. While new legislation for the protection of social funds in the construction industry was ratified in spring (Sozialkassenverfahrensicherungsgesetz – SokaSiG from the 16th of May, 2017, BGBl. I, S. 1210: for which Dr. Klein also gave expert testimony for the committee), the new legislation will apply to eleven further branches of industry (eg. The painting trade, roofing, baking and bread making industries, as well as for the editorial branch of the newspaper industry). Furthermore, the draft legislation would change labour court laws affecting the legal liability protection possibilities for social fund processes. Dr. Klein (Vorträge / Tagungsteilnahmen 34 IAAEU Jahresbericht 34) argued strongly in favour of the draft legislation in his testimony. The proposed legislation is advisable as it protects the collective agreements around social fund processes and creates legal security. There are no reasons to doubt the constitutionality of the proposed legislation. According to Dr. Klein, the legislation does not go far enough, as it only covers the general applicability of collective agreements concerning social funds. The recent rulings from the labour courts, however, call into question a great many other collective agreements. With this in mind, Dr. Klein recommended the committee amend the draft legislation.
Expert Report for BMAS: Platform Economy – an evaluation of the current state of research
Originating from the United States, the organisation of labour through internet platforms has now established itself in Germany. This form of employment raises the question of the need for intervention through the protective regime of labour law. The answer to that question, both on individual and collective levels, depends on the legal classification of the employment relationship. The situation is similar for social law, wherein many pillars of social protection correspond with an individual’s employment status. As many of the employment constellations which are now practicable due to the emergence of new forms of labour organization, considerations about the definitory expansion of decisive terminology as well as the introduction of fundamentally new regulatory approaches are to be found in current discussions. Legal considerations are made more difficult by the fact that previous investigations at the practical level have been based on differing terminology and central categorisations. In June of 2017, Dominik Leist, Dr. Christina Hießl and Prof.Dr. Dr.h.c. Monika Schlachter, on the basis of a framework contract with the Institute of Labour Economics (IZA), prepared an evaluation of the state of current legal literature and research in both German and Anglo-American spheres for the German Federal Ministry of Employment and Social Affairs.

EU Inc.-Conference

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05.10.2026
Start: 12:30h
End: 18:00h
IAAEU Trier, University of Trier,
Campus II

Free Registration: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Institute for Labor Law and Labor Relations in the European Union (IAAEU) invites you to the conference “EU-Inc. – Ende der deutschen Unternehmensmitbestimmung?”.

Conference Agenda:

The current legislative process for an EU Inc. regulation is rapidly gaining momentum and is expected to be completed as early as the beginning of 2027. At the same time, key issues—such as the appropriate legal basis and the substantive scope of application—appear not to have been conclusively resolved thus far. Furthermore, the relationship between EU Inc. and national co-determination regimes, as well as the question of their regulatory safeguards, are proving to be particular points of contention in the legislative process. This conference will examine these issues—which lie at the intersection of corporate law, labor law, and European law—from both a legal and a practical perspective.


The focus is on the following key questions:

  • What is the current status of the legislative process for the EU Inc. Regulation? What positions do the relevant stakeholders take, particularly regarding the legal basis, the scope of application, and the relationship between EU Inc. and national worker protection rights?

  • What risks does the EU Inc. pose to German corporate co-determination—depending on its specific structure?

  • Is it possible to effectively safeguard national co-determination systems within an “EU Inc.,” and what might such safeguards look like? To what extent might there be conflicts with EU primary law or the regulatory purpose of the regulation, and how could these be resolved?


You can find the detailed conference programme here.

The event is taking place as part of the externally funded project "Forschungsstelle Mitbestimmungsrecht".
Featuring (among others):
  • Prof. Dr. Christoph Teichmann (University of Würzburg)
  • Prof. Dr. Jan Lieder (University of Freiburg)
  • Prof. Dr. Daniel Ulber (University of Trier / IAAEU)
  • Dr. Marcus Meyer-Erdmann (ETUI / Assistant Professor Erasmus Universität Rotterdam)
  • Dr. Sebastian Sick (I.M.U)
  • Representatives of the social partners and policymakers on the legal policy panel

GeTrab Meeting

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22.-23.6.2026
Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union, Trier, Germany

German-Brazilian Conference on Collective Labour Law

The Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU) at Trier University is pleased to welcome distinguished scholars, judges, practitioners, and trade union representatives from Brazil and Germany for a two-day conference on collective labour law.
The conference will bring together experts from the University of São Paulo, the GeTrab Research Group, the Brazilian labour judiciary, German academia, and the social partners to discuss the systems of collective bargaining, collective agreements, and collective autonomy in Brazil and Germany. Particular attention will be given to the role of trade unions, collective bargaining structures, the right to strike, and the interaction between collective labour relations and judicial oversight in both legal systems.
Through a comparative analysis of Brazilian and German labour law, participants will explore the foundations, challenges, and future development of collective bargaining systems and collective autonomy in contemporary labour markets. The programme includes presentations by leading academics, legal practitioners, judges, and trade union representatives, fostering an intensive exchange between research and practice.
The conference will take place at the IAAEU, Trier University, on 22–23 June 2026. We look forward to welcoming our Brazilian guests and all participants to Trier for this international dialogue on collective labour law.

Confirmed Speakers
  • Antonius Allgaier, Executive Director of IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt
  • Eva Martha Eckkrammer, President of Trier University
  • Eduardo Pragmácio Filho, Member of the GeTrab Research Group, practising lawyer
  • Maria Lucia Gadotti, Member of the GeTrab Research Group and practising lawyer
  • Guilherme Levien Grillo, Guest researcher at IAAEU/ CIDP FDUL and practising lawyer
  • Thomas Klein, Professor at htw saar in Saarbrücken
  • Nelson Mannrich, Professor at University of São Paulo, GeTrab Coordinator
  • Maria Cristina Irigoyen Peduzzi, Judge at the Federal Labour Court, member of GeTrab
  • Birgit Peters, Dean of the Law Faculty, Trier University
  • Victor Rhein Schirato, Professor at the University of São Paulo and member of GeTrab
  • Monika Schlachter, former Director of IAAEU at Trier University
  • Daniel Ulber, Director of IAAEU at Trier University
  • André Zipperer, Member of the GeTrab Research Group and practising lawyer

Summer School

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20.-25.9.2026
Institute for Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union, Trier, Germany
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APPLICATION CLOSED

The IAAEU Summer School for Young Researchers in European Labour Law will take place for the first time in Trier in September 2026 and is planned as an annual event thereafter. It aims to bring together students, PhD candidates, and postdocs from across the EU interested in labour law issues to discuss current developments in European labour law and develop their own ideas. The format fosters European academic networking and builds a sustainable structure for exchange and support among young researchers, connecting emerging scholars with established academics.

The summer school combines academic inputs with discussions, workshops, and joint excursions, blending theoretical, doctrinal, practice-oriented, and interdisciplinary approaches to platform work complexities. Participants actively contribute in working groups, collaboratively developing and presenting results while integrating their research perspectives and backgrounds to create productive scholarly exchange. Key guiding questions include:
  • How are member states shaping national regulations on platform work, with differences in worker status, social security, collective rights, AI/algorithmic management, and legal remedies?

  • What is the implementation of the Platform Work Directive in participants' home countries?

  • Which national legal issues, transposition problems, and policy debates shape the directive's reception across member states?

  • What role does EU legislation play in balancing harmonization and national labour law design?

Confirmed Speakers
  • Dr. Katarina Barley, Member of the European Parliament
  • Robert Räuchle, German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
  • Prof. Luca Ratti, Université de Luxembourg
  • Prof. Claire Marzo, Université Paris-Est Créteil
  • Prof. Monika Schlachter, IAAEU Trier
  • Prof. Daniel Ulber, IAAEU Trier
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply?
The application period for the IAAEU Summer School 2026 has ended.
Who can apply?
The IAAEU Summer School targets advanced students, PhD candidates, and postdocs from across the EU with an interest in labour law issues, aiming to foster international discussion on European labour law developments.
What costs should I expect?
The participation fee will be 50€. Catering during the event is included. Participants are responsible for booking their accommodation for the whole duration of the summer school. Thanks to recently secured funding, we are pleased to offer all participants a travel stipend of €200 to support their attendance. The stipend will be available to every participant to help offset travel costs
What activities will participants engage in?
The summer school will combine academic inputs with discussions, workshops, joint excursions, and active working groups, where participants develop and present results, integrating their own research perspectives for an international and interdisciplinary exchange.
Is online participation possible?
We will not offer online participation because we believe that in-person attendance is vital for academic exchange and network building.
Who can I contact for further information?
For further questions feel free to reach out to us via (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Drittmittelprojekte-Jura

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Current Externally-Funded Projects

Forschungsstelle Mitbestimmungsrecht
The project is funded by the Hans Böckler Stiftung, Mitbestimmungs-, Forschung- und Studienförderungswerk des Deutschen Gewerkschaftsbundes, Düsseldorf.

Contact
Prof. Dr. Daniel Ulber
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(+49) 651 / 201 - 4751
DFG Research Project on the Topic: "The right to adequate remuneration for solo-entrepreneurs”
In April 2022, the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft – DFG” (German Research Foundation) approved funding for a German-Austrian research project in the D-A-CH Lead Agency Process on the topic “The right to adequate remuneration for solo-entrepreneurs”. The project leaders are Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Monika Schlachter and Dr. Thomas Klein (both working at the IAAEU), in cooperation with Dr. Karin Lukas from the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights in Vienna. The project aims to take a closer look at the situation of the solo-entrepreneurs, who, due to their weak negotiating position, are unable to negotiate appropriate terms of contract with their contractual partners in order to protect themselves from labour exploitation and to achieve an adequate standard of living. For this purpose, international and European human rights law standards, in relation to the rights of solo-entrepreneurs and their implementation in Austrian and German law, will be analysed, and possible tensions between international obligations and EU Law will be highlighted. The project focuses on four objectives:
  1. Identifying the international and European human rights obligations of states to protect the solo-entrepreneurs and possible approaches to prevent their exploitation
  2. Analyzing the implementation of international human rights obligations to protect the solo-entrepreneurs at national level in Austria and Germany
  3. Assessing the implementation of international human rights obligations in line with EU Law
  4. Developing targeted legal recommendations to improve the situation of solo-entrepreneurs in accordance with international human rights and EU law
The project is scheduled to last two years and is expected to start in March 2023.

Contact
Ass. jur. Dominik Leist
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0651 / 201 - 4745

 

Completed Externally-Funded Projects

Project by the “Fritz Thyssen Stiftung für Wissenschaftsförderung“ (Foundation for the Promotion of Science): Whistleblowing in Labour Law - The Whistleblower Protection Directive of the European Union, Need for Implementation in German Law under Consideration of Data Protection Aspects and Protection of Trade Secrets
The director of the legal working group of the IAAEU, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Monika Schlachter, received approval for a third-party funded project by the Fritz Thyssen Foundation for the promotion of science in June 2020. The project deals with the protection of whistleblowers from the perspective of labour law, especially with the requirements of implementing the European directive on the protection of persons who report breaches of Union Law (Whistleblower Protection Directive). A particular focus is on the implications of data and trade secret protection. The project has a duration of 2 years and the funding amount is € 40,000. These funds will mainly be used to finance the position of a research assistant, who will particularly investigate the need for implementation in German law.

Contact
Dr. Thomas Lehnart
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(+49) 651/ 201 - 4763
The IAAEU Secures a Third-Party Project: Crowdsourcing as a New Form of Labour Organisation
The directors of the IAAEU, Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Monika Schlachter and Prof. Dr. Laszlo Goerke, as well as Prof. Dr. Lars Hornuf, were able to secure a third-party funded project from the "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (German Research Foundation, DFG) in August 2017. The project deals with crowdsourcing as a new form of labour organisation and specifically focuses on the regulatory requirements and welfare effects of crowdsourcing. The research project is scheduled to run for 3 years and the funding amounts to approximately €460,000. These funds will be used primarily to finance three research associates who will examine the economic and legal aspects of crowdsourcing. The economic part of the research project is mainly supervised by Prof. Dr. Lars Hornuf, who switched to a professorship at the University of Bremen on October 1st, 2017.
European Database Projects
Since 1997, the legal team of the IAAEU has been compiling a list of references from journal articles and judicial decisions on European labour law. This collection served as an important information system for comparative legal research.
Working Beyond the Legal Retirement Age
The funding for the research project was approved in 2014 by the "Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" (German Research Foundation, DFG) for a period of 24 months. It dealt with the question of whether and how the rigid legal retirement age in German law could be replaced by flexible regulations in order to enable employment even after retirement age and thus be able to take better account of the requirements of demographic change. Here, the legal framework conditions in working time legislation, right of termination, right of limitation and right of discrimination were examined and analysed on the basis of national legal systems, following the example of the success Nordic countries had with this method. The results were presented in several publications and lectures. The project was supported by the "Elder Law" working group at Lund University and by Prof. Niklas Bruun, University of Helsinki.

Publications:
  • M. Schlachter: Reasonable Accommodation for Continued Employment of Older Workers, in: Festskift till Ann Numhauser-Henning, Juristförlaget i Lund 2017, 737-749.
  • M. Schlachter/A. Vaitkeviciute: Working Beyond The Legal Retirement Age: The Legal Situation in Finland, in: EuZA 2015, 283-30.
Labour Disputes in Public Services
The comparative legal research project was funded by the "German Israeli Foundation" and carried out in cooperation with the collaborator Prof. Mordehai Mironi from the University of Haifa. Due to international participation, it presented various possibilities of how a balance between the interests of the companies, those of the "general public" and the labour disputes of the employees could be implemented in practice. On the basis of international safeguards of labour disputes as a human right (ILO, UN, Council of Europe), the current conflicts in various countries were presented, a distinction concerning the companies of "public services" was made in all participating countries and the possibilities how to limit strikes were classified. The final goal was to prepare information on the actual use of limitations on labour disputes and the legal framework upon which those limitations are built and to do this in such a way that the governments who wish to discuss new avenues of regulation have access to the comparative research upon which they can base those discussions.

The results of the research project were published in the following monograph:
  • M. Mironi/ M. Schlachter: Regulating Strikes in Essential Services - A Comparative "Law in Action" Perspective, Wolters Kluwer 2018.

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