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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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