Author (Person) | Bower, Helen |
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Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning |
Series Title | In Focus |
Series Details | 27.6.02 |
Publication Date | 26/06/2002 |
Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus |
The European Commission adopted a Communication on the social dialogue on 26 June 2002, aimed at strengthening its role in Europe's strategy of reforms. The social dialogue offers the 'best forum for striking new balances between flexibility and security' according to the European Commission. It also has an increasingly important role to play as enlargement approaches, bringing several countries into the EU where the traditions of partnership are still weak. In order to strengthen the social dialogue the European Commission proposes:
Speaking about the proposal, the European Commissioner responsible for employment and social affairs, Anna Diamantopoulou said:
The idea of enhancing the role of the social partners in policy-making at the European level was introduced in the Social Protocol attached to the Maastricht Treaty which proposed the development of a Social Dialogue. Following the implementation of the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Social Protocol was incorporated into the social chapter of the main EC treaty and it is now applicable in all fifteen Member States. The Social Dialogue promotes social policy-making through negotiation among the social partners as an alternative to the traditional legislative route. The European Social Partners are inter-branch organisations: UNICE/UEAPME for the employers, ETUC for employees and CEEP for enterprises with public participation or sectoral organisations. Under the terms of the treaty, these social partners must be consulted on any Community initiative and they may also negotiate agreements that are subsequently incorporated into European law. Since 1993, three inter-branch agreements have been concluded and followed up with Directives: parental leave (1995), part-time working (1997) and fixed-term employment relationships (1999). There have also been two sectoral agreements on the organisation of working time in the maritime transport and civil aviation sectors which have also been extended into Directives. An agreement in May 2002 on teleworking will be the first agreement to be implemented in accordance with the procedures and practices specific to the social partners and the Member States. At the Laeken European Council in December 2001 the Presidency, a 'troika' of EU governments, social partners and the European Commission agreed to give new momentum and to draw up a multiannual work programme for the social dialogue - the details and timetable of which would be finalised over the course of 2002. The latest Communication is a step in this direction, further progress will be made by December 2002 when the social partners report on the contribution of the social dialogue to the success of the Lisbon strategy, aimed at making the EU 'the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010'. Links: European Commission:
Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE) European Centre of Enterprises withPublic Participation and of Enterprises of General Economic Interest (CEEP) European Associationof Craft, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (UEAPME) European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) European Sources Online: In Focus
European Sources Online: Topic Guides
Helen Bower The European Commission adopted a Communication on the social dialogue on 26 June 2002, aimed at strengthening its role in Europe's strategy of reforms. |
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Subject Categories | Employment and Social Affairs |
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