New Start for Social Dialogue ESF Committee 19 April 2018 Maria Hadjiantoni Andreas Strohbach

What is the role of social partners? National level Collective bargaining: e.g. agreements on wages, working hours, working conditions… Implementation: e.g. co-management, consultation… Political influence… EU level TFEU Art. 152–155 TFEU: specific role to social partners Art. 152: Promotion of the role of social partners +Tripartite Social Summit Art. 154: Consultation of social partners on initiatives based on Art. 153 Art. 155: Agreements implemented by social partners or Council decision [i.e. legislating in the "shadow of the law" e.g. via Council Directives] Political influence Towards the EU institutions

New Start for Social Dialogue 5 March 2015: high-Level Conference with leaders of EU institutions and European and national social partners (cross-industry and sectoral) outcome better involvement of social partners in EU policy and law making a more substantial involvement of social partners in the European Semester; stronger emphasis on capacity-building of national social partners

EU policy-making: Improving the involvement of social partners Within EMPL portfolio (beyond art. 153 initiatives) Dedicated hearings on priority initiatives: LTU, Mobility, Skills Information/consultation via existing fora: TSS/MED; (sectoral) social dialogue committee; liaison forum Outside EMPL portfolio Dedicated meetings at high level: Investment Plan, Energy Union, Digital Single Market etc. Information/consultation in existing fora: TSS/MED; (sectoral) social dialogue committees; liaison forum

Economic governance: How to involve social partners? Greater involvement in European Semester EU-level: AGS/JER, country reports/CSRs, policy committees' meetings; National level: national reform plans, country visits; Formal exchanges with policy committees and informal exchanges with Commission services Focus on design/implementation of reforms/policies Identification and assessment of the reform and policy areas Analysis of the impact of the involvement of social partners

Capacity building: what does it entail? Participation/involvement in national/EU policy processes Building structures of social dialogue Building institutions Financial support Human resources Effectiveness Training and twinning Building trust – time needed