Under an agreement penned this summer by the Fincantieri group, Europe's leading shipbuilder, and the Fiom-Cgil, Fim-Cisl and UILM trade unions, the number of employees eligible for smart working in Italy will increase by 70%, while the number of days staff may work remotely will rise from four to eight per month. The agreement is part of the new organisational model introduced by the group, focused on objective-based work and employee autonomy and empowerment.

On 13 September 2023, Austria’s ruling coalition (conservative ÖVP and Ecologist parties) voted on September abolish the ‘blocked progressive retirement’ model by 2029. Opponents, notably the trade unions, see this as a further tightening of an employment policy aimed at keeping older workers in employment for as long as possible before the statutory retirement age.