The role of the European social partners and the European social dialogue

François ZIEGLEREuropean Commission

DG « Employment, Social Affairs and Equal opportunities »

Brussels,30 October 2007

Improving the role of construction SME ‘s in the sectoral social dialogue

SocialPolicy

Agenda

Open Method of CoordinationEmployment

Social protection

EuropeanSocialFunds

EuropeanSocial

Dialogue

LegislationMobility - Gender equality

Working conditions - Health and Safety

What forms does the European Social Dialogue take?

“Val Duchesse” Social Dialogue

Sectoral socialdialogue

committees

TR

IPA

RTIT

EB

IPA

RTIT

E EWC ?Transnationalagreements

Tripartite Social Summit

Macroeconomic dialogueDialogue on education

Dialogue on employment

Cross industry

Sectoral

Company

Auto

nom

ou

s

High levelgroups

What place for social dialogue at European level?A Strong institutional recognition

ART 138 of the Treaty

The Commission has a responsibility to promote consultation of the social partners

at community level and to take every useful measure to facilitate their dialogue,

taking care to ensure a balanced support of both sides.

The Commission consults social partners first

Social partners can engage into a dialogue

ART 139 of the Treaty

The Community level dialogue between the social partners can lead,

if they wish it, to contractual relations, including agreements.

The implementation can be made either by an EU instrument or through

national channels

… Article « 136 bis » of the next Treaty

Art. 138 & 139

Legislativeprocess

Council Commission Social Partners

Agreement implemented by a Decision

LEGISLATIONNATIONAL PROCEDURES

& PRACTICES

No negotiation

or failure

AutonomousAgreement

– to be implemented

by social partners

Extensionprocedure

Consultation

OpinionsNegotiation

European social partners

General cross-industry organisation&

Cross-industry organisations representing certain categories of workers or undertakings

ETUC, BUSINESS EUROPE, CEEP, UEAPME, CEC, Eurocadres

Sectoral organisations representing employersEUROCOMMERCE, AEA, POSTEUROP,

COPA, COTANCE, EURATEX, HOTREC, FBE, FIEC ...&

European trade union organisationsUNI-Europa, EPSU, EFFAT, ETUCE,

ETUF-TCL, EMF, EFBWW...

Specific organisationsEurochambres

European

Capacity to act in avoluntary way

Being composed by nationalorganisations recognised

as social partners

Adequate structures

Consultations 2007

• Cross-border transfers of undertakings

• Reconciliation of professional, private and family life

• Carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances

• Musculoskeletal disorders

• Active inclusion

Sea transportRoad transportCivil aviation

Inland navigationRailways

ElectricityGas

Personal servicesCleaning industryPrivate security

Life performanceAudiovisual

Professional cyclist

SteelShipbuildingAutomobile

Non ferrous metal

Textile/clothingTanning/leather

Footwear

HospitalsLocal government

Central administrationEducation

TelecommunicationsPostal services

AgricultureExtractive Industry

Sea fishing

HorecaCatering

Commerce

BankingInsurance

Construction

Chemical

WoodworkingFurniture

Sugar

Temporary agency work

35 Sectoral Committees

Autonomous Social Dialogue Agreement on Workers Health Protection

through the Good Handling and Use of Crystalline Silica and Products Containing it

- 25 April 2006 -

14 Sectors

Aggregates, Cement, Ceramics, Foundry, Glass fibre, Special Glass, Container Glass & Flat Glass, Industrial Minerals, Mineral Wool, Mines, Mortar, Natural Stones and Pre-cast Concrete

i.e. more than 2 million Employeesand a business exceeding € 250 billion

European social Dialogue outcomes

Socialdialogue

table

Better understandingConsensus building

Better capacity to promotethe sectoral interests

Capacity to act togetherin an autonomous way

European Commission

Social dialogue texts

Agreementsestablishing standards

Article 139.2 of the Treaty

Recommendationsconcerning standards

and principles

Exchange ofinformation

Framework agreements

Autonomous agreements

Frameworks of action

Joint opinions

Guidelines and Codes of conduct

Policy orientations

Declarations

Tools

Implementation

Follow-up at National level

InformationDiffusion

ROLES of actors

InformationDissemination

European social partners

European social partners

National social partners

National social partners CommissionCommission Member StatesMember States

Financial support

Implementation reports

Transposition

Follow-upreports

Implementationreports

Reference in national texts

Integration innational texts

Follow-upFinancial support

MonitoringFinancial support Facilitation

OpinionsDeclarations

OpinionsDeclarations

AGREEMENTSimplemented

by Council decision

AGREEMENTSimplemented

by Council decision

Frameworks of actionGuidelines

Codes of conductPolicy orientations

Frameworks of actionGuidelines

Codes of conductPolicy orientations

AGREEMENTS implemented

according to own procedures

AGREEMENTS implemented

according to own procedures

Consultation onimplementation

reports

6 Agreements establishing minimum standards implemented by

Council decision

• Framework agreement on parental leave, 1995

• Framework agreement on part-time work, 1997

• European agreement on the organisation of working time of seafarers, 1998

• Framework agreement on fixed-term work, 1999

• European agreement on the organisation of working time of mobile workers in civil aviation, 2000

• Agreement on certain aspects of the working conditions of mobile workers assigned to interoperable cross-border services, 2005

5 Autonomous Agreements establishing minimum standards

implemented by the procedures and practices specific to management and

labour and the Member States

• Framework agreement on telework, 2002

• Agreement on the European licence for drivers carrying out a cross-border interoperability service, 2004

• Agreement on Stress at work, 2004

• Social Dialogue Agreement on Crystalline Silica, 2006

• Harassement and violence at work, 2007

Implementation reports by the social partners