Topontmoeting Europese Sociale Partners - veel gestelde vragen (en)

What is European social dialogue?

European social dialogue is the discussions between employee and employer representative organisations (the social partners). These can take the form of consultations, negotiations and joint actions undertaken by the social partner organisations.

At European level, social dialogue takes two main forms - bipartite dialogue between the European employers and trade union organisations, and tripartite dialogue involving interaction between the social partners and the public authorities.

These are the essential means by which the social partners help define European social standards, and play a vital role in the governance of the Union. European-level social dialogue has received strong institutional recognition in the EC Treaty and in the conclusions to a number of key European Council meetings, notably those of Laeken and Barcelona.

Combining the values of responsibility, solidarity and participation, the European social dialogue complements the national practices of social dialogue, which exist in most Member States.

Why is the meeting taking place?

Social Dialogue Summits are high-level meetings of European social partner organisations and their national members (trade union and employers organisations), chaired by the President of the European Commission. They take place at irregular intervals to give a political impetus to European social dialogue on particular issues. Nine such Summits have been organised since 1985 - the last one on 28 November 2002 to present the social partners' first multi-annual work programme for 2003-2005.

This year's meeting of the Social Dialogue Summit is designed to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of European social dialogue with those who helped shape its development. It is also an opportunity to discuss social partners' involvement in the EU's strategy for more growth and jobs.

Discussions will focus on the social partners' possible contribution to Europe's economic and social modernisation (e.g. industrial restructuring, active ageing, integration of young people into the labour market). The meeting will also be an opportunity for trade union and employer representatives to provide input to the current debate on the future of the European social model, ahead of October's informal summit meeting in London.

What can the social partners contribute to the debate on the European social model?

In all EU Member States, employer organisations and trade unions are involved in bipartite collective bargaining at central or local level and tripartite consultations by public authorities.

Through their direct contact with companies and workers, social partners are best placed to assess developments in the workplace and on the labour market. Their organisations therefore provide excellent expertise on the economic and social situation of Europe.

Through their specific forms of organisation, social partners possess a unique form of representation and legitimacy to be consulted on all important economic and other structural reforms and to shape employment and social policy.

In the current debate on the future of the European social model, social partners have a prominent position. The UK presidency has decided to convene an informal Tripartite Social Summit in London on the 24 October 2005, just a few days ahead of the informal meeting of Heads of State and Government. One month before this tripartite meeting, the bipartite Social Dialogue summit will be a first opportunity to make their views heard.

What difference can the social partners' contribution make to economic and social reform on the ground?

European social dialogue has resulted in a variety of outcomes, including the adoption of over 40 joint texts by the cross-industry social partners. European social partners negotiated agreements on parental leave (1995), part-time work (1997) and fixed-term contracts (1999) which have been implemented by EU directives throughout the EU, thereby shaping EU social policy.

A new generation of texts entailing a greater implementation and monitoring role for the social partners has made a concrete difference in several areas. Firstly, in March 2002, the 'Framework of actions for the lifelong development of competencies and qualifications' was adopted to push social partners' efforts in Member States to develop lifelong learning (LLL) strategies. Another framework of action was adopted in March 2005 on the topic of gender equality.

Secondly, in July 2002 the social partners adopted the telework agreement, the first `autonomous' Article 139 framework agreement, to be implemented and monitored by the social partners themselves at national level. This was followed by the second 'autonomous' framework agreement on work-related stress. The implementation of these texts is done in accordance with the social partners' procedures and practices at national level, in a process that can be compared to the open method of coordination.

The European social partners tackle important issues through various instruments and can therefore make an essential contribution to the economic and social modernisation of Europe.

All results and important developments of European social dialogue can be found on the EUROPA website at:

http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/social_dialogue/

How did European social dialogue come about?

Consultation and concertation with the social partners did take place in the 1960s and 1970s, but it was only from 1985, following an initiative from the then President of the Commission Jacques Delors, that a real European bargaining area was established.

There were three key stages:

Between 1985 and 1991, bipartite social partner activities mainly resulted in the adoption of non-binding joint opinions, resolutions and declarations.

The signing of an agreement on 31 October 1991 between the social partners was annexed to the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. Following this, agreements negotiated by the European social partners could be transposed into national legislation in Member States. This led to the implementation of agreements on parental leave (1995), part-time work (1997) and fixed-term contracts (1999) _ by means of Council directives.

In 2001, following the Laeken European Summit in 2001, the European social dialogue became increasingly independent and autonomous. In 2002, the social partners' adopted their first joint multi-annual work programme for 2003-05. Achievements include the 'autonomous' framework agreements on telework (2002) and work-related stress (2004). The social partners are currently preparing their second work programme for the period after 2005 and should present it by the end of this year.