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Few industries have experienced greater change in their employment patterns over the last few decades than retail and wholesale, where forms of employment are becoming highly varied.

A wide range of factors is driving this process, from changes in economic circumstances and consumer preferences, globalization, to advanced technological innovations and the new forms of competition they have enabled, including an explosive growth in electronic commerce. In many countries, wages in retail commerce are below the average for the economy as a whole and the sector experiences a high labour turnover.

One of the priorities in their bi-annual work programme 2014-2015, EuroCommerce and UNI Europa, the social partners of the retail and wholesale sector is a point covering “Employment strategy and the commerce sector”. In this context, the two organisations wish to explain their contribution to the implementation of the Employment Package, including initiatives related to active labour market policies, youth employment, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, mobility, new forms of employment and transitions in the labour market. This would also analyse those issues against new and emerging business models in the sector.

The sub-groups on working environment set up in the framework of the High Level Group for Competitiveness of the retail sector have identified the need for more specific data gathering on the impact of changing environment on commerce labour market.

The EU social partners are therefore seeking to contract a research expert to carry out a study analysing the EU labour market in the commerce sector and new forms of employment and work arrangements. The research expert will work under the guidance of the Project Steering Committee (composed of the social partners and some of their affiliates)

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