On Wednesday, 21st of May, Aude Boisseuil, General Delegate of EFFE (European Federation for Family Employment), and Andrea Zini, President of Assindatcolf, presented the second paper of the 2025 Family(Net)Work Report at the European Parliament. The event, hosted by Italian MEP Brando Benifei, marked a significant step in raising awareness about the widespread issue of undeclared employment in personal and household services (PHS) across Europe.
The report, produced by EFFE and promoted by Assindatcolf, sheds light on the persistent and often underestimated prevalence of undeclared domestic work. This form of employment affects millions of families and workers throughout Europe. In Italy alone, nearly 60% of domestic work is irregular, while the situation is even more severe in countries like Germany (90%), Greece (76%), Slovenia (72%), and the Czech Republic (67%). At the European level, an estimated 6 to 9 million domestic workers are not formally registered.
However, capturing accurate data remains a challenge. Methodologies for estimating undeclared employment differ between national and European sources. The specific characteristics of the PHS sector—its informality, privacy, and fragmentation—further complicate data collection and policy development. Undeclared work often remains a taboo subject, rarely addressed openly by national authorities.
To build a comprehensive picture, EFFE drew upon data from the European Labour Authority, the 2018 Eurobarometer, Eurofound, the European Social Policy Analysis Network (ESPAN), and the PHS Employment Monitor—the most extensive study ever conducted on the sector.
A key finding of the report is the importance of clear legal frameworks. Countries like the Netherlands, Italy, and France, which have detailed legal definitions of domestic work, are better equipped to regulate employment conditions and ensure workers’ rights. Conversely, 13 of the 27 EU Member States currently lack any formal legal definition of domestic work, hindering progress and leaving workers vulnerable.
EFFE also presented its new tool, the “Dom&Care Value” Simulator, launched in March. This innovative model evaluates the socio-economic impact of subsidies dedicated to indirect care services. With undeclared employment dominating the sector, the simulator provides a compelling case for sustainable policies that support formal employment. Focusing on the Italian context, EFFE demonstrated that financial incentives for families lead to a positive return on investment and that the overall cost of declared domestic and homecare work is lower than that of undeclared services.
The report also highlights successful policy examples from Poland, Romania, Austria, Belgium, and France. These countries show that well-designed financial incentives encourage families to hire and declare domestic workers, enabling workers to access decent labour and social rights.
In light of the new mandate of the European Commission and Parliament, EFFE is calling for:
In his opening remarks, MEP Brando Benifei emphasised the critical need for reliable data on undeclared work and the role of fiscal policies in supporting formal employment in the PHS sector. He underlined the influence of the European Parliament in shaping Commission priorities on these pressing issues.
The presentation was followed by a dynamic panel discussion featuring Mariagrazia Lombardi (European Labour Authority), Irene Wintermayr (International Labour Organization), and Annamaria Matarazzo (Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU). All participants highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated European strategy to address the root causes of undeclared domestic work.
EFFE extends its sincere thanks to all panelists and stakeholders for their commitment to combating undeclared employment and advancing fair, formalised domestic work across Europe.
The next event of the Family (Net) Work project will take place in Rome on the16th of June. On this occasion, we will present the third part of the report, prepared by the IDOS Study and Research Centre.
Download the report here.