1. SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU “Exchnage of views of regional initiatives and taskforces in Sputh east Europe with the members of the Regional Coopertaion Council (RCC) Board” Sarajevo 5 March 2009 Jasmin Redžepović Coordinator of the SEE TU Forum seeoffice@ituc-csi.ba PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ

2. Background information Stability Pact for SEE:  Established in 1999 - to promote peace and stability in the region; - to assist SEE countries to EU integration and accession and e conomic development  Working Table I – Democracy  Working Table III – Security and Defense  Working Table II – Economy  Initiative for Social Cohesion (ISC) Social Dialogue Employment : Bucharest employment process Healthy and Safety Housing Health Social Protection PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

3. About the SEE Trade Union Forum I  The SEE Trade Union Forum started in 1999 as the ETUC Balkans Trade Union Forum to engage in the operation of the SP for SEE working for an efficient social dimension to the policies and economic and social reforms in the SEE region.  The SEE TU Forum was, along with the ILO, CoE and IOE, one of the founding members of the Initiative for Social Cohesion in the SP for SEE.  It is a network of 18 national Trade Union organizations interested in common positions and activities in relation to the regional policy-making process and EU accession.  All national Trade Union organizations in SEE recognized as genuine and representative Trade Unions which are ready to contribute to the SEE TU Forum policies and practical operation can be considered for SEE TU Forum membership. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

4. About the SEE Trade Union Forum II Founding of the SEE Trade Union Forum:  The SEE Trade Union Forum was launched in October 2007, in Brussels, as the successor of the ETUC Balkan Trade Union Forum based on the “Memorandum of Trade Union regional cooperation and EU oriented development”. Our mission:  The SEE Trade Union Forum will build on the achievements and lessons from the ETUC Balkans Forum and will continue to work for further development of the social dimension of the Stabilization and Association Process and EU accession in the region, embedded in the ILO decent work approach and the European Social Model.  Developing genuine social dialogue in states governed by rule of law is the key to couple economic and social development and to facilitate improved competitiveness of the economy along with raising social protection and living standards of the people in line with the EU Lisbon strategy. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

5. Member organizations of the SEE TU Forum: 1. Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Croatia (UATUC/SSSH) 2. Independend trade Unions of Croatia (NHS) 3. Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS/SSSS) 4. Trade Union Confederation “Nezavisnost” (UGS “Nezavisnost”) 5. Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo (BSPK) 6. Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM) 7. Confederation of Free Trade Unions (KSS) 8. Union of Autonomous and Free Trade Unions of Macedonia (UNASM) 9. Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania (KSSH) 10. Union of Independent trade Unions of Albania (BSPSH) 11. Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro 12. Confederation of Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (KSBIH) 13. Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (CITUB) 14. Confederation of Labour “Potkrepa” 15. National Trade Union Confederation “ Cartel ALFA ” 16. National Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Romania (CNSLR-FRATIA) 17. Confederation of Democratic Trade Unions of Romania (CSDR) 18. Blocul National Sindical (BNS) PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

6. Our Values: Freedom, democracy, transparency and good governance lay the basis for the operation of trade unionism in SEE. Members of the Forum value the development of consensual labour relations in the region based on respect for all actors in the social dialogue process. We deplore the use of “informal economy” methods and techniques, and poor working conditions as policies to build competitiveness and social dumping as development strategy. We also recognize the need for solidarity, tolerance, regional cooperation and joint actions of the members of the Forum to promote trade union interests and social development in the Stabilisation and Association process. This is our contribution to advance the values of the European Social Model in the region. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

7. Our tools: Joint policy development, cooperation and joint actions of the members of the Forum towards common interests are the key instruments for success in influencing regional policy-making, particularly in the Regional Co-operation Council. The SEE TU Forum will explore possibilities for cooperation with the Adriatic Region Employer's Center to further facilitate dialogue and strengthen the positions of the social partners in the policy process. In our work we rely on the involvement and support of the ETUC and PERC, backed by expertise from ETUI-REHS both to help maintain dynamics of the functioning of the Forum and as channels for communication with EU institutions, Council of Europe, etc. Guaranteeing fundamental labour and social rights in the process of change will underpin our cooperation with ITUC and ILO for policies on the international level. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

8. The way we work: The Forum meets at least once a year at the highest level, selecting the representative/s who maintains relations with RCC and other regional institutions. The chairperson of the SEE TU Forum is Ms. Ana Knezevic, president of UATUC and Vice president of the PERC. Following the decisions of the 3rd SEE TU Forum meeting, held in Zagreb, SEE TU Forum member organisations send a letter in November 2008 to the Governments and Ministries of Foreign Affairs in their countries presenting the SEETU Forum and asking them to be informed of all the activities in which the Government participates within the RCC. The PERC Office in Sarajevo will secure the organisational/technical coordination of the work of the Forum and its communication with the RCC. The Centre for Regional Cooperation and EU Integration in Zagreb will provide support and run regional projects for the Forum. Current projects of the ETUC Balkans Forum will be transferred to the CRCI for continuation. Steering/expert groups will be set up on particular issues to facilitate policy discussions and positions of the Forum. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

9. The SEE TU Forum at work: High–level SEE TU Forum meetings: –1st Founding Meeting of the SEE TU Forum in Brussels, Belgium (October 22 - 24, 2007) –2nd Meeting of the SEE TU Forum in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina for the process of handover between the SP for SEE and the RCC (May 16 – 17, 2008) –3rd Meeting of the SEE TU Forum in Zagreb, Croatia on the RCC Strategic outlook 2008 – 2009, Social Memorandum and Energy treaty and developments in the filed of social dialogue (September, 29 – 30, 2008) –4th Meeting of the SEE TU Forum in Podgorica, Montenegro on the impact of the global financial and economic crisis in SEE (February 27, 2009) Expert regular and ad hoc group meetings: –Workshop of TU legal experts in Zagreb, Croatia on the “Western Balkan on the way to the EU, development of labour legislation in EU and the concpet of flexicurity from the TU point of view (September, 29 – 30, 2008) –Ad hoc working meeting of SEE TU legal experts in Kotor, Montenegro on the improvement and protection of labour rights in line with European Labour standards (December 3-5, 2008) –Networking – participation of SEE TU legal experts in the “NETLEX” – network of legal experts meetings (Brussels, November 6-8, 2008) PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

10. SEE Trade Union Forum Financing: Organisational/technical coordination of the SEETU Forum work is secured trough the PERC SEE Office in Sarajevo. The Trade Union Centre for Regional Cooperation and EU Integration in Zagreb provides support running regional projects for the Forum. The SEE TU Forum high level meetings are funded through a cost-sharing mechanism - one third of the costs are covered by the member organisations and two thirds from Solidarity Support Organisations (SSO) and other donors, like the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES). Ad hoc expert group meetings are supported by donors. PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

11. VISION for the future of the SEE TU Forum and the regional cooperation: The SEE Trade Union Forum wants to cooperate with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on following priority areas in the Western Balkan countries: (1) E conomic and social development, with special emphasis on social dialogue; (2) E nergy and infrastructure (3) M igration and (4) B uilding human capital. Social dialogue: To further strengthen social dialogue in the region, between the social partners To widen the pool of Trade Union experts in the region To contribute to the economic and social development of the region Expected results: Enhanced forms of cooperation between the SEETU Forum and the Adriatic Region Employer's Centre on social dilaogue Developed capacities of the SEE TU Forum national member organisations Further networking with RCC Task groups and initiatives active in the filed of economic and social development, human capital building and gender mainstreaming PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU

12. Contact address: SEE TU Forum PERC SEE Office - Sarajevo Topal Osman pase 26/IV, Sarajevo Tel: + 387 33 715 305 Fax: + 387 33 664 676 seeoffice@ituc-csi.ba http://perc.ituc-csi.org/ PERC PAN-EUROPEAN TRADE UNION COUNCIL CRE CONSEIL REGIONAL EUROPÉEN ВЕРС ВСЕЕВРОПЕЙСКИЙ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫЙ СОВЕТ SEE Trade Union Forum The Trade Union Way to the EU