EC: Social partners set out their three-year work programme

The EU-level social partners convened a social dialogue summit on 28 November 2002, at which they presented a joint work programme for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005. The programme, which focuses on the three issues of employment, enlargement and mobility, is being hailed as a new phase in the European social dialogue in that it marks the start of a real autonomous social dialogue process.

High level representatives of the EU social partners - the European Trade Union Confederation ETUC, the private sector employers' organisation UNICE, the organisation representing small and medium-sized enterprises UEAPME and the public sector employers' organisation CEEP - met at a social dialogue summit in Brussels on 28 November 2002. The main result of this summit was the launch of their much-awaited joint work programme for the coming three years.

The social partners first publicly stated their intention to draw up a joint work programme in their joint statement to the Laeken Council, held in December 2001 (EC: The future of the European social dialogue). In this, ETUC, UNICE/UEAPME and CEEP state that they would like to "reposition the role of the social partners" in the light of challenges such as enlargement of the EU, the debate on Europe's future and governance and the completion of economic and monetary union. One of the key areas of focus of this joint statement was the development of an autonomous social dialogue process. The social partners stated that they were "extremely attached" to the procedures set out in Articles 137 and 138 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, which give them a right to be consulted by the Commission on a range of subjects and the option of negotiating a European-level framework agreement if they wish.

They also stated, however, that they also stated that they would like to develop a more autonomous social dialogue which is not dependent on consultations from the Commission. They stressed in the statement that any future joint work programme would be made up of a "spectrum of diversified instruments such as European framework agreements, opinions, recommendations, statements, exchanges of experience, awareness-raising campaigns and open debates".

The social partners were further encouraged in their quest for a more autonomous social dialogue by the Commission, which issued in June 2002 a Communication on the future of the social dialogue. In this, the Commission states that it would like to see the social dialogue process strengthened and improved and suggests a number of ways of achieving this, backed up by Commission initiatives: "The European social dialogue has arrived at a crossroads. It has considerable scope for action, extended further by the prospective enlargement and the back-up it requires . . . to take on this role properly at European level, it needs, however, to broaden its practices, diversify its operational methods and use to best advantage the entire bargaining area."

Content of the work programme

Work on the development of a multiannual programme for the social partners continued throughout 2002. The finished programme was finally launched at the November 2002 social dialogue summit, attended by some 110 social partner representatives from all 15 EU member states, the 13 candidate countries and the European Economic Area countries.

The work programme itself covers a total of three years - 2003, 2004 and 2005. It is divided into three sections:

• employment;
• enlargement; and
• mobility.

In launching the programme, the social partners maintained in a joint statement that it marks a significant departure from previous practice, which consisted of deciding on a case-by-case basis whether or not to deal with a specific issue in the social dialogue and whether or not to deal with an issue jointly and by what means (joint opinion, agreement or another instrument). This work programme sets out a structured programme of work on a range of issues. Details are set out in the table below.

Employment

This section is the largest in terms of the number of topics covered and is also the section which will generate agreements and joint opinions. The main issue of note here, in concrete terms, is the commitment to arrange a seminar in 2003 with a view to negotiating a voluntary agreement on stress at work. Similarly there is a commitment to organise a seminar in 2004-05 in order to explore the possibility of negotiating a voluntary agreement on harassment.

These are currently high-profile issues in Europe, with the European Parliament adopting a Resolution on bullying in September 2001 (EP calls for action on moral harassment). For details of provisions relating to bullying and psychological harassment at work in individual member states, see International: Psychological harassment at the workplace - part one and International: Psychological harassment at the workplace - part two. The first European week on stress at work was held in October 2002 (International: European health and safety week launched), bringing together a range of actions around the EU, aimed at highlighting the problem of stress at work.

Other concrete actions here include the organisation of a seminar in 2004 to discuss case studies and explore possible joint actions relating to the ageing workforce. Further, a seminar on the topic of undeclared work is to be organised in 2005, with the aim of concluding a joint opinion on this theme.

In the area of racism, the social partners state that they will, in 2004 and with the participation of the candidate countries, update their 1995 joint declaration.

In the area of gender equality, the social partners state that they will organise in 2003 a seminar on equal opportunities and gender discrimination with the aim of deciding on "a framework of actions".

A joint declaration and/or an awareness-raising campaign will be organised over the course of the work programme to promote young people's interest in science and technology in order to address the skills gap.

Finally, work will be carried out in the area of corporate restructuring in 2003 - the social partners will "identify orientations" which could assist in managing change and its social consequences, on the basis of real cases. This follows a formal consultation of the social partners from the Commission in January 2002 on the issue of managing change (EIRR 337 p.2). The social partners asked the Commission to suspend the second consultation to allow them to hold a seminar on this issue, in October 2002.

Monitoring and follow-up actions to recent agreements will take place in the areas of lifelong learning (agreement of February 2002 - EIRR 339 p.21) and telework (agreement of July 2002 - EIRR 343 p.13).

Enlargement

The work to be carried out under this section of the programme focuses largely on the organisation of joint seminars and the drawing up of studies. Thus, over the course of the programme, a series of joint seminars will be held on industrial relations in the context of enlargement, including case studies on different ways of articulating different levels of negotiations.

In terms of social dialogue, two enlarged Social Dialogue Committees will be held each year throughout the duration of the programme.

Under the head of the implementation of the legal acquis communautaire (the body of EU law and regulations which must be transposed nationally before a country may join the EU), a joint seminar will be held on European Works Councils in 2004.

Other actions include a study on restructuring in the candidate countries and the inclusion of the candidate countries in the follow-up actions in the area of lifelong learning - a seminar will be held in 2004.

Finally, the social partners will, from 2004 onwards, try to identify issues that will arise in the EU after enlargement. These could include topics such as an increase in diversity, migration and cross-border working.

Mobility

The one area identified in this section is the Commission's action plan on skills and mobility, launched in February 2002 (EIRR 338 p.2). The social partners intend, at some point during the course of this work programme, to organise a seminar to identify where joint actions by the social partners at EU level could help in addressing obstacles to mobility, particularly for managerial staff. These could include supplementary pensions.

Reactions to the programme

This work programme has been generally welcomed and seen by all involved parties as a new departure for the social partners. In a joint press statement, ETUC, UNICE/UEAPME and CEEP state that: "The new work method shows that, following 17 years of experience, the European social dialogue has matured and is moving into a more autonomous phase. Our work programme also sends a strong signal to the Convention [the body convened to propose a new framework and structures for the EU] on the future of Europe regarding the central role played by social partners in Europe's social governance."

Employment and social policy Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou told the social partners that: "Your work programme heralds a new period in a social dialogue which is coming into its own. It brings in genuine European-level industrial relations. The Commission is pleased by this step forward."

Commission President Romano Prodi added: "The social partners have today started a new page in the social dialogue, which has thus entered a new phase. Their joint work programme gives their dialogue fresh momentum to rise to the current challenges of the European Union, to make a positive contribution to the Lisbon strategy and to integrate the perspective of enlargement."

Details of the social partners' work programme 2003-05

Themes	Actions	Calendar
Employment
Employment guidelines	Reports on social partner actions in member states to implement employment guidelines (taking into account the cycle of three years).	2003-05
Lifelong learning	Follow-up of "framework of actions" accord and evaluation report.	2003-05
Stress at work	Seminar with a view to negotiating a voluntary agreement.	2003
Gender equality	Seminar on equal opportunities and gender discrimination aiming at a framework of actions.	2003
Restructuring	Identify orientations that could serve as a reference to assist in managing change and its social consequences on the basis of concrete cases.	2003
Disability	Update of joint declaration of 1999 as a contribution to the European year on disability.	2003
Young people	Promoting young people's interest in science and technology to help address the skills gap through a joint declaration and/or awareness-raising campaign.	2003-05
Racism	Update of joint declaration of 1995 (with the participation of candidate countries).	2004
Ageing workforce	Seminar to discuss case studies and explore possible joint actions.	2004
Harassment	Seminar to explore the possibility of negotiating a voluntary agreement.	2004-05
Telework	Monitoring of follow-up to the framework agreement.	2003-05
Undeclared work	Seminar aimed at a joint opinion.	2005
Enlargement
Industrial relations	Joint seminars on industrial relations (case studies on different ways of articulating different levels of negotiations).	2003-05
Social dialogue	Two enlarged Social Dialogue Committees per year.	2003-05
Restructuring	Study on restructuring in candidate countries.	2003-04
Lifelong learning	Inclusion of candidate countries in follow-up to "framework of actions" accord.	Seminar in 2004, inclusion in reporting 2005
Implementation of legal acquis	Joint seminar on European Works Councils.	2004
EU social and employment policies after enlargement	Prospective reflection to identify issues that will arise in the EU after enlargement, such as increase in diversity, migrations and transborder work.	Starting in 2004
Mobility
Action plan on skills and mobility	Seminar to identify areas where joint actions by the social partners at EU level could help in addressing obstacles to mobility (notably for managerial staff), including supplementary pensions.	2003-05