EU Social policy: Commission’s report on the social dialogue in Europe

Key words: EU Social Policy, Social Dialogue, European social market economy

Since 1998, the Commission has created 40 sectoral social dialogue committees. They cover 145 mln workers in the EU and include key economic sectors, e.g. transport, energy, agriculture, construction, trade, fisheries, public services, metal, shipyards and education.

European sectoral social dialogue

European social dialogue refers to discussions, consultations, negotiations and joint actions involving organisations representing the two sides of “social relations”, i.e. employers' and workers' representatives, the so–called "EU social partners". The sectoral social dialogue brings together the trade unions and employers' organisations in a specific sector, for example, construction, textiles or hospitals; the negotiations are conducted through sectoral social dialogue committees.

The EU recognises social dialogue as one of the focal points of the so-called European social market model, and as a tool for social cohesion and resilience. The new Lisbon Treaty (art. 152, TFEU) highlights the Union's commitment to support European social dialogue and underlines the autonomy of the European social partners. In addition to cross-industry social dialogue, sectoral social dialogue is an increasing part of this European governance.

Practical work

European sectoral social dialogue committees are performing a basic forum for consultations among employers and workers’ unions in European sectoral policies. They allow European social partners to develop joint actions and conduct negotiations on issues of common interest in the corresponding sectors, thereby contributing directly to shaping EU labour legislation and policies.

EU social partners are more and more involved in the EU decision-making process. They are consulted by the Commission on the principles and the contents of any social initiative prior to other decision-making partners and are closely involved in the impact assessment on social matters.

The European sectoral social dialogue committees work on issues such as health and safety at work, vocational training, skills, equal opportunities, mobility, corporate social responsibility, working conditions and sustainable development.

The EU member states have to implement the following five Directives as a result of legal agreement between social partners in the sectoral social dialogue committees:

• to prevent injuries and infections to healthcare workers, estimated to be 5 million, from sharp objects such as needles– one of the most serious health and safety threats in European workplaces and estimated to cause 1 million injuries each year;
• to improve working conditions for the estimated 300,000 maritime workers across the EU, incorporating internationally-agreed standards into EU law;
• to set minimum standards for working hours and rest periods for maritime workers;
• to set minimum standards for working hours and rest periods for aircraft crews; and  
• to ensure satisfactory conditions (such as driving times, breaks, daily and weekly rest periods) for people working in cross-border rail services – estimated at around 10,000 workers and projected to rise to 20,000 by 2020.

Sectoral committees

Sectoral committees can be created in a given sector at the joint request of the European social partners if they meet the following conditions, or capacities:

• they have national affiliate members in several countries who are themselves recognised as national social partners (being representative at the national level);
• they are able to negotiate and to adopt agreements at European level (capacity to negotiate);
• they have adequate structures and ensure effective participation (administrative capacity).

The European Commission supports the creation and functioning of the European sectoral social dialogue in terms of legal and logistic assistance (meetings organisation, reimbursement of experts and interpretation).

 

Practical achievements

The European social dialogue has produced already more than 500 different legal texts, ranging from joint opinions and responses to consultations to agreements that have been implemented as EU legislation. In this way, the European sectoral social partners have contributed to improving European employment and social policies, as well as working conditions in Europe. They have contributed to modernising industrial relations and to adopting new social standards. They will also contribute to the EU-2020 strategy, thereby strengthening its implementation.  

In addition to formal agreements, social partners take other concrete measures at national or company level to raise awareness, support social dialogue at national/regional or company level or influence policy-making. Joint opinions and presentations of good practices or involvement in common projects (seminars, conferences, studies, workshops) offer opportunities for social partners to learn from one another and build trust.

The following examples can be mentioned:

• a framework agreement to reduce musculoskeletal disorders, such as back problems, for agricultural workers;
• recommendations on avoiding fictive self-employment in the construction sector;
• guidelines for promoting gender equality in local and regional government;
• a handbook for fishermen to help prevent accidents at sea;
• recommendations on better anticipating and managing restructuring in the textile industry.

Further improvements

Despite the overall success of these committees, there is plenty of room for improvements. The European Commission intends to encourage the European and national sectoral social partners to make full use of their capacity to negotiate, reinforce their administrative capacity and “representativeness”, and creating synergies between sectors.

The EU will continue to foster integration of new players as well as better participation of new member states' representatives.

This assessment of European sectoral social dialogue over the last 12 years shows the value of its contribution to the European social market economy model. It shows that there is a direct correlation between the effectiveness of national social dialogue and the corresponding effectiveness at the European level; these two levels greatly assist each other.

The sectoral dialogue highlights the need for sectoral social dialogue committees to face up to the need to adapt to new challenges and changes in development policies. The current economic crisis has confirmed the importance of European social dialogue at both cross-industry and sectoral level, as well as the relevance of social partner initiatives tailored to the realities of companies and sectors.

Further information on:

- European Commission’s working document: SEC(2010)964

- European social dialogue: http://ec.europa.eu/socialdialogue

Eugene ETERIS,
26.07.2010, from Copenhagen