Own-account workers in Europe: flexible, mobile, and often inadequately insured

In: Discussion Papers / Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, Forschungsschwerpunkt Arbeit, Sozialstruktur und Sozialstaat, Abteilung Arbeitsmarktpolitik und Beschäftigung, Band 2006-122

Abstract

"The European Union is currently experiencing a kind of 'renaissance of selfemployment'. As part of this trend, the share of self-employed workers who are operating their enterprises without the support of dependent employees is growing particularly evidently. Members of this category of self-employed are known as 'ownaccount workers'. Proceeding from the theory of transitional labour markets, the authors develop a concept with which mobility rates and mobility patterns can be used to compare the dynamics of own-account work (entries, exits and duration) in five different European countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom and occasionally Sweden). Against this background, the insurance coverage offered to the self-employed as well as that enjoyed by persons entering or exiting the status of selfemployment are then observed and compared across the different countries." (author's abstract)