1 EBC project “Under construction” Launching Seminar Brussels - 30 October 2007 Intervention Liliane Volozinskis Director Social Affairs UEAPME

2 Outline  I - Presentation of the UEAPME  II - Activities developed by UEAPME in the BSP I and II  III - Activities developed in the joint round tables ETUC/UEAPME  IV - Activities developed jointly by the four European Social partners  V - Lessons learned

3 I. Presentation of the UEAPME  Created in 1979  Composed of 84 organisations in 36 Countries  Defends the interests of Craft and SMEs  Represents 11 million enterprises employing 50 million people  Recognised European Social Partner since December 1998  Fully involved in all activities of the EU social dialogue  Negotiation of European framework agreements and of the EU SP multi-annual work programme

4 II. Activities developed in the BSP I and II UEAPME project Business Support Programme I ( ) - Phare programme Specific features What ?  Developing the capacity building of UEAPME members in the CEECs applicant countries (Phare programme) How ?  Development of training tools on EU social acquis (including social dialogue)  Tailored made seminars organised on a twinning basis Where and with whom ? the 8 CEECs  Latvia (LAK) – Partner Italy (CNA)  Czech Republic (AMSP CR) – Partner Nederland (MKB)  Hungary (IPOSZ) – Partner Austria (WKÖ)  Estonia (EVEA) – Partner Finland (Y)

5 II. Activities developed in the BSP I and II UEAPME project Business Support Programme II ( ) – Phare Programme Specific features What ?  Information and awareness raising on EU acquis  Institution building to strengthen SME organisations How ?  Development of training tools on EU acquis (social affairs/employability)  Training of trainers  Multipliers seminars in cooperation with UEAPME  Development of sectoral flyers on the Internal market Where and with whom? The 8 CEECs  Latvia (LAK) – Partner Italy (Confartigianato)  Czech Republic (AMSP CR) – Partner Germany (HWK Dresden)  Hungary (IPOSZ) – Partner Austria (WKÖ)  Estonia (EVEA) – Partner Nordic Cluster (F/S/DK) Remark: A BSP III has been submitted to the EC for Rumania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Croatia

6 III. Activities developed in the joint round tables ETUC/UEAPME pilot project « Social Acquis and SMEs in the CEECs » ( )-DG EMP budget line Specific features What ?  First bilateral project with the trade unions representatives  Development of relationships between SMEs and TU  Development of the social dialogue in candidate countries Why?  Necessity to create direct contacts between trade unions and SME organisations in view of social partnership How ?  Bilateral seminars : Round tables on SD applied to Working conditions and Training Where and with whom? 4 CEECs  Slovenia (OZS) – Partner TU (ZSSS)  Poland (ZRP) – Partner TU (NSZZ)  Hungary (IPOSZ) – Partner TU (MSZOSZ, MOSZ, Liga, ASZSZ, SZEF-ESZT)  Slovakia (SZZ) - Partner TU (KOZ SR)

7 III. Results of the joint round tables ETUC/UEAPME project Results : Very positive assessment  First joint initiative by EU SP on social dialogue development in the CEEC  First contacts between two parallel worlds  Better mutual understanding and development of « common interests »  Improved knowledge on the EU Social Dialogue  Recognition of the need and importance of social dialogue as a tool for a more efficient labour market  Reflection about the development of a « culture » of social dialogue at national and sectoral level  Recognition of SMEs specific needs in social dialogue  General willingness to continue

8 IV. Activities developed jointly by the four European Social partners – Integrated programme Basis:  ETUC/UEAPME Pilot project - Joint Round tables in 4 CEEC  ETUC, UEAPME, CEEP, BUSINESSEUROPE work programmes Achievement: Integrated programme of the EU Social Dialogue and (DG EMP budget line) « What are the social partner needs in the CEEC »  Project designed by the EU social partners for their affiliates in the new Member States and Candidate Countries in 2003  Interactive seminars on social dialogue and interconnectivity between the EU and national levels in the 8 CEEC + Malta and Cyprus and more recently in 2006 Rumania and Bulgaria + Turkey and Croatia  Elaboration of national action plans jointly and unilaterally by the national social partners dedicated to the development of social dialogue  EU SP Monitoring procedure with a second round of follow-up seminars and addition of the topic of role of social partners in restructuring

9 IV. Activities developed jointly by the four European Social partners – Integrated programme Main content of national action plans :  Better coordination among TU or employers and reporting to members  Establishing a regular national level dialogue between the SP  Securing more financial and material resources  Quantity and quality of human resources  Early identification of priority issues  Developing cooperative approaches with national SP organisations in other Member States

10 IV. Activities developed within the integrated programme Employers’ Resource Centre Creation of 2 distinct resource centres (Employers and trade unions presenting all the results of the project) Objectives: practical assistance of new MS social partner organisations Information on past developments and future activities of the EU SD Observation places for EU social dialogue meetings Tailored training sessions on EU social dialogue A tool to audit human resource competences Answering queries on EU SD activities and community policies Providing and updating information on EU funding opportunities for projects & assistance in tendering and management Promoting full implementation of EU social dialogue texts throughout the EU Website Website for employers :

11 V – Lessons learned of EU SP integrated programme As one of the main pillars of the European Social Model, social dialogue cannot be optional for the new MS Tripartism exists in every new MS with a strong role of government whereas the bipartite social dialogue is less developed Difficulty to consider tripartism and bipartism as complementary processes Acknowledgment that an effective bipartite SD could increase the influence of SP in the tripartite system, but further action requested In terms of human resources, mismatch between languages and technical skills Necessity to focus on key priorities due to limited HR (linkage of national and EU agenda) Request to develop cooperative approaches with other social partners in other MS to gain some “real” experience In countries where sectoral SD has not developed, TU reported difficulties in identifying and engaging with “employer partners”

12 Main Conclusions 1. Despite the wealth of past and ongoing initiatives, further actions need to be taken for: creating space for bipartite dialogue (Hungary/Poland) or improving its effectiveness (Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia) 2. Sectoral and regional social dialogues are still largely underdeveloped 3. Diversity of industrial relations systems needs to be respected (tripartite/bipartite social dialogue) 4. Need for strong autonomous and representative social partners (not achieved yet – fragmentation) 5. No sustainable bipartite social dialogue without the direct and full participation of SME’s employers’ associations 6. Usefulness of exchange of experiences and further of focused projects organised by social partners for social partners such as “Under Construction”.

13 For further information Thank you for your attention ****