European social dialogue

Dialogue between the European social partners exists at both cross-sectoral and sectoral level. The participants in the cross-sectoral dialogue, the ETUC, BUSINESSEUROPE (private sector employers)/UEAPME (small businesses), and CEEP (public employers), have concluded a number of agreements that have been ratified by the Council of Ministers and are now part of European legislation:

  parental leave (1996)
  part-time work (1997)
  fixed-term contracts (1999)

The social partners have also concluded autonomous agreements on telework (2002), work-related stress (2004) and harassment and violence at work (2007), and a framework of actions for the lifelong development of competencies and qualifications (2002), and a framework of actions on gender equality (2005).

In March 2006 the European social partners adopted their second Multiannual Work Programme, to run until 2008, identifying areas of joint action. Social dialogue also takes place in 33 different industrial sectors, coordinated on the trade union side by the European Industry Federations. This is an important tool for tackling industry-specific questions at a European level. Sectoral social dialogue committees deal with, for example, training, working time and conditions, health and safety, sustainable development, and free movement of workers. They have adopted almost 500 joint texts including joint opinions and agreements, guidelines and codes of conduct.