Europe’s long road to the current impasse: Key dates in the history of the social dialogue:

Date: 21/05/1998

31 January 1985: Representatives of the European Commission, the ETUC, CEEP and UNICE meet at the Val Duchesse château in Brussels to launch what was to become known as the Val Duchesse social dialogue.

7 May 1987: The social partners meet at the Palais d'Egmont in Brussels for a first assessment of the new system.

31 October 1991: All sides agree on a text which sets out how the social dialogue will be incorporated into the Maastricht Treaty's social chapter.

February 1992: Maastricht Treaty is signed

3 July 1992: A social dialogue committee is set up following another meeting at the Palais d'Egmont

28 September 1993: The social partners are consulted on Commission President Jacques Delors' White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment.

21 October 1995: The social partners issue a joint declaration on employment following a 'summit' meeting in Florence, Italy.

December 1995: All sides agree on a draft legislative proposal for EU-wide rules on parental leave.

November 1996: The social partners, meeting in Dublin, issue another declaration on employment ahead of the EU summit in the Irish capital.

27 February 1997: First reports emerge that Renault will be closing its factory in Vilvoorde, Belgium.

15 April 1997: The Dutch presidency calls a round-table meeting with the Commission and social partners to discuss whether EU legislation needs to be tightened up following Vilvoorde. UNICE says it sees no need for new rules.

4 June 1997: Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn announces that he intends to introduce rules on worker consultation in national companies in the wake of Vilvoorde. He asks the social partners to tell him whether they want to negotiate on this issue.

6 June 1997: All sides agree on a draft legislative proposal for EU-wide rules on part-time workers.

20-21 November 1997: EU jobs summit in Luxembourg

March 1998: UNICE announces it does not want to negotiate on worker consultation in national companies. The Commission calls an emergency social dialogue summit, to be held on 2 June.