16-17 September 2025, Istanbul – The UfM, in partnership with the German Development Cooperation and with the support of the European Commission (Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion), organised the UfM Informal Economy Workshop in Istanbul on 16-17 September 2025. The Workshop was also supported by Ministry of Labour and Social Security of the Republic of Türkiye. The Workshop brought together over 90 partners and stakeholders including government and private sector actors, social partners, social economy workers, entrepreneurs, Academia, as well as representatives of regional and internation organisations and entities (including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), European Training Foundation (ETF), among others).

The Workshop focused on opportunities, challenges and best practices in addressing informality and promoting the transition from informality to formality in the region and showcased some inspiring initiatives in the field. It aimed to respond to a substantial demand from policymakers and employers’ and workers’ organizations at the country level for evidence-based, innovative approaches and good practices on effective policy and coordination frameworks for facilitating the transition to the formal economy including through emerging opportunities from new digital technologies which can provide effective tools to facilitate the transition to formality, prevent informalization and strengthen compliance systems against labour law violations, while respecting applicable data protection laws.