SOCIAL PROTECTION FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED
Date: 15 December 2023
The project aims at strengthening social dialogue at sectoral level by building the capacity of national social partners, in order to tackle the need of self-employed professionals to be covered by an adequate social protection.
It aims at giving social partners the tools to contribute to the design of social protection reforms, and to autonomously set up and manage social protection schemes, in line with Council Recommendation 2019/387.
The project will first investigate existing social protection schemes for the professional self-employed and especially the changes introduced since the pandemic. The aim is to better understand which are the actors engaged in each scheme, which are the beneficiaries, which are the governance models and where the funding comes from.
With a view to defining a social protection model to mainstream, best practices will be identified, approved by the consortium, analysed and validated by the working groups and finally channelled into a modelling proposal. Along this process, social partners and all other stakeholders identified by the research will be targeted by an awareness raising campaign and engaged in the working groups, which will serve as a forum for discussing and exchanging ideas. Once the modelling proposal is developed, the capacity building phase begins. The purpose is to strengthen the capacity of national sectoral social partners and promote their role in ensuring an adequate social protection for the professional self-employed.
Given its nature, agreeing on a common definition of self-employment is a demanding task.
At the same time, social protection includes different profiles of social assistance and social security, with extensive variations among countries.
In brief, this social dialogue project entails a real understanding of both demand and supply of social protection for the self-employed. But also, more concretely, wishes to give the right tools to close existing social protection gaps.
List of participants
The consortium is led by Confprofessioni, Italian Confederation of Liberal professions, and composed by the following entities: CEPLIS, European Council of the Liberal Professions, from Belgium; MFPA, Malta Federation of Professional Associations; Equal Ireland Education Research and Related Services Co. Ltd. Moreover, the following organisations are participating as associated partners: UNAPL, National Union of Liberal Professions, from France; Eurocadres, Council of European Professional and Managerial Staff; UNPLIB, the Union of Belgian Liberal and Intellectual Professions.
Expected project results
- Report on social protection systems
- Mapping report on best practices and problems of social protection schemes in the 27 MS
- Call for action
- Working groups report
- Modelling proposal
Coordinator contact details
Confprofessioni
Viale Pasteur, 65 – 00144 Rome IT
(+39) 06 542 20278
Working Groups Report
The SP4SE project partners, led by Confprofessioni, have finalised the working group report, a document that summarises the key recommendations emerging from the discussion and analysis activities conducted during the project. The work focused on the social protection needs of self-employed workers and professionals, a topic that has become central in light of the critical issues that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic. The recommendations are divided into three priority thematic areas: Support during health emergencies, with proposals for administrative simplification, payment moratoria, income support and mental health protection; Supplementary healthcare, focusing on accessibility, flexible insurance models, mental well-being and social dialogue; Income support, with the aim of ensuring protection mechanisms in the event of business suspension or significant reduction in income, including professional development programmes. The working groups saw the active participation of representatives of social partners and stakeholders from the professional world, who shared experiences and concrete proposals based on the evidence gathered during the project. The report identifies good practices at the national level and proposes transferable models to promote a more equitable, inclusive, and resilient social protection system, in line with Principle 12 of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The document represents an important step forward in strengthening social dialogue and developing policies that are more responsive to the needs of self-employed professionals. Read the report.
Enhancing Social Protection for Professional Self-Employed: Insights on the Role of Social Partners
The SP4SE (Social Protection for Self-Employed) project investigates social protection frameworks for self-employed individuals across EU Member States, particularly focusing on Professional Self-Employed (PSE)workers. It builds upon the European Pillar of Social Rights (2017) and the 2019 Council Recommendation on access to social protection, emphasising the role of social partners in shaping effective systems. The study highlights the fragmented and unequal protection for PSEs across the EU, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed systemic vulnerabilities. The second phase of the project analyses seven diverse EU countries—Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, and Romania—to assess the real-world conditions of PSE workers and the role of representative organizations. Through interviews with experts, policymakers, and professional association leaders, the study explores how social partners contribute to protection governance, representation, and policy development. A key finding is that well-organised professions, such as traditional liberal fields, benefit from structured social protection through professional funds or associations. In contrast, non-traditional or solo self-employed workers often lack representation, suffer limited access to benefits, and remain excluded from formal systems. The report argues that empowering social partners is essential for developing equitable and effective social protection schemes. Public institutions at both national and EU levels must support structured dialogue with these actors. Ultimately, the project aims to promote harmonised, inclusive policies that improve the living and working conditions of all self-employed workers and ensure intergenerational renewal in essential professions across Europe. Read the full report here.
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This project has been funded by the Voluntary Organisations Project Scheme managed by the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector (MCVS).
