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ELI President and Vices Schottenring 16 | 1010 Vienna | Austria [email protected] www.europeanlawinstitute.eu P +43-1-4277-221-01 F +43-1-4277-9221 Vienna, 17 October 2023 Dear Chief Justice of the Supreme Court dr iur Kõve We have the great pleasure of extending a formal invitation to you to participate in the invitation-only European Law Institute (ELI) High Level Forum on Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers’ Right to Disconnect, which will take place online on 18 December 2023 from 13:30–15:00 CET. The High Level Forum, which will be opened by Mr Stefan Olsson, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, will provide the opportunity to discuss the recently published ELI Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers Right to Disconnect, available here. The ELI Guiding Principles aim at supporting legislators and social partners at striking a balance between the conflicting rights of employers and employees, at a time of increasing use of digital and technological tools. At the core of the Principles is a desire to protect the physical and mental health of all workers, by guaranteeing resting time and improving the predictability of working schedules. The growing use of digital and technological tools over the last few decades has made it possible to work anywhere and at anytime. The Covid-19 pandemic increased the pace of this development. Whereas the digitalisation of work and the expansion of telework present potential advantages in terms of flexibility, productivity and conciliation, these trends can also result in an intensification of work, long working hours, the blurring of limits between work and rest time or increased stress arising from continuous surveillance and monitoring of performance and productivity. These factors can, in turn, negatively affect the physical and psychological health of employees. Respect for working and rest time is a key factor in preventing burnout and in enabling unpaid caregivers, the majority of whom are women, to balance private and professional responsibilities. The Guiding Principles, which are aimed at all European legal systems, are purposely broad in scope. Insofar as the problem of excessive connectivity extends throughout Europe, it seemed restrictive to limit the analysis to the EU. Both national legislation and EU law and policy documents were important sources of inspiration. The debates that took place during the drafting process highlight the particular concomitant difficulties with a regulation on the Right to Disconnect in Europe. Particularly challenging is the level at which the rules on disconnection should be applied, and the people they should target. Subsidiarity, the articulation of sources and scope were, therefore, key aspects to consider. The Guiding Principles are the result of collective reflection and discussions, which led to certain proposals and choices. The overall aim is to reconcile the interests of all parties and, in particular, the imperatives of The European Law Institute AISBL/IVZW | Reg No 0837 276 779 Rue Ducale 1 Hertogstraat – KVAB Bruxelles 1000 Brussel – BELGIUM protection and flexibility, while guaranteeing a broad application of the Right to Disconnect to all those in need of it. We would be greatly honoured if you were to accept our invitation for the Supreme Court of Estonia to participate in the above event. Please feel free to nominate a representative to attend should you not be available. We look forward to hearing from you within a week. The ELI Secretariat team will be in touch, should you be available, with more detailed arrangements. Yours sincerely Prof Dr Pascal Pichonnaz Anne Birgitte Gammeljord Sir Geoffrey Vos ELI President ELI First Vice President ELI Second Vice President The European Law Institute AISBL/IVZW | Reg No 0837 276 779 Rue Ducale 1 Hertogstraat – KVAB Bruxelles 1000 Brussel – BELGIUM Saatja: Kadri Nõmm </O=RIIGIKOHUS/OU=EXCHANGE ADMINISTRATIVE GROUP (FYDIBOHF23SPDLT)/CN=RECIPIENTS/CN=USER04B22299> Saaja: Kadri Nõmm Teema: FW: Invitation to the ELI High Level Forum on Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers’ Right to Disconnect, 18 December 2023 from 13:30–15:00 CET From: ELI Secretariat <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2023 1:50 PM To: Maris Möls <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Subject: Invitation to the ELI High Level Forum on Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers’ Right to Disconnect, 18 December 2023 from 13:30–15:00 CET Dear Chief Justice of the Supreme Court dr iur Kõve, Please find attached an invitation from the European Law Institute’s (ELI) President, Pascal Pichonnaz, and Vice-Presidents, Anne Birgitte Gammeljord and Sir Geoffrey Vos, to participate in the ELI’s High Level Forum on Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers’ Right to Disconnect or to nominate a representative of your organisation to attend. The High Level Forum will take place online on 18 December 2023 from 13:30–15:00 CET. In addition to Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Stefan Olsson, who will open the event, representatives of Ministries of Justice and Supreme Courts in Europe as well as key labour organisations are expected to attend. We hope that you will be able to accept the invitation and would be grateful if you could respond to it by 24 October 2023. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Many thanks for your consideration. With best wishes Laura Papasodaro Laura Papasodaro Project Officer European Law Institute Schottenring 16/175 First Floor, Lifts 3 or 4 1010 Vienna, Austria P: +43 1 4277 22117 F: +43 1 4277 922 1 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> www.europeanlawinstitute.eu <http://www.europeanlawinstitute.eu/>