20 years of the European Social Dialogue

On 14 April 2005, the Economic and Social Committee organised a conference in Brussels to mark the 20 th anniversary of the launch of the European Social Dialogue. The event was attended by former Commission President Jacques Delors, who was instrumental in promoting social dialogue in Europe. However, the debate made it clear that most participants no longer believe that social dialogue between the EU institutions and the national social partners has a bright future ahead.

Thus, for example, Brian Bercusson, of King’s College London, said that social dialogue depended, in the long term, on a number of policies, and this has led to a slow-down. There are today three other limits to social dialogue: the new employment strategies (telework, part-time work, etc.), no less than 17 forms of discrimination present in the work environment, and the enterprise deregulation agenda. In fact, the social partners and the employers in particular show little interest in maintaining links with the European institutions. This is why the Commission should be launching new initiatives and directives to promote dialogue, increase the social partners’ ability to influence policies, and allocate more resources in order to ensure that the agreements reached can be effectively implemented, backed by good working relations between the European and national levels.

Other participants, such as Philippe Meyer, of UNICE (Union des Industries de la Communauté européenne), shared Mr Bercusson’s opinion that, 20 years on from its launch, the European Social Dialogue is declining or is even on its way to extinction. Making this same point, John Monks, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), remarked that “we arrived at social dialogue belatedly; it was promoted but no longer exists. It has become merely a ritual”.

In the face of this situation, we are currently witnessing the birth of a new form of dialogue, namely “civil dialogue”, which since its inception a few months ago has resulted in the adoption by the Commission of the “Citizens for Europe” programme, which aims to bring the EU closer to its citizens. For his part, Giampiero Alhadeff, General Secretary of SOLIDAR (an independent international alliance of non-governmental organisations) said that both forms of dialogue, together with civil society, are the three pillars of democracy. In spite of this, however, “resources are needed for a public debate which will bridge the gap between the 25 EU Member States’ concept of Europe and that of the new candidate countries” in order to launch a genuine debate with civil society.

According to Mr Meyer, social dialogue is “essential to economic development because it helps to bring down unemployment and contributes to job creation”, but we still have a long and difficult road ahead of us to achieve more positive results over the next 20 years...

 

News from the institutions

Parliament paves the way for Bulgarian and Romanian accession in 2007

The European Parliament (EP) voted on 13 April to approve Bulgarian and Romanian accession to the EU, despite reservations about the state of preparedness of the potential new members. Bulgaria received 522 votes, with 70 votes against and 69 abstentions, whilst votes in favour of Romania numbered 497, with 93 votes against and 71 abstentions. The accession debate underscored the belief in most of the EP that Bulgaria and Romania are part of the European family and fully entitled to EU membership. Josef Zieleniec, an MEP from the Czech Republic, noted the advantages their membership would bring in terms of European security.The two countries want to join the EU on 1 January 2007, though this depends on their success in meeting membership criteria. Safeguard clauses delaying accession will come into effect unless suitable progress is made.Some of the most important issues to be dealt with before the countries can join are, in Bulgaria, safety of the country’s nuclear power plants, and in Romania, the fight against corruption, which the EP highlighted as an area where substantial progress is needed.To be ready for 2007, the Romanian authorities “will have to work, work and work even more,” said Pierre Moscovici, the EP’s rapporteur for Romania. Geoffrey van Orden, rapporteur for Bulgaria, echoed his comments.If the two countries join in 2007 they will together add 30 million people to the EU’s population. They will be the poorest members of the Union, with lower GDP per capita than any other Member State, though the rate of economic growth in both countries in the last few years has been ahead of the EU average. For more information on the status of Bulgaria’s and Romania’s application to join the EU: http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/index_en.html

Structural Funds: revised regional support eligibility list published

The European Commission’s Regional Policy Directorate-General has recalculated the list of regions that may be eligible for support from the Structural Funds from 2007 to 2013, the period covered by the new financial perspectives currently under discussion. The recalculation applies to regions with GDP per capita lower than 75 percent of the EU average. These regions are eligible for support under the EU’s Objective 1. A total of 70 regions fall into this category – 33 in the pre-enlargement EU15 and 37 in the new EU Member States. However, 16 regions in the pre-enlargement EU15 Member States find themselves caught by a statistical effect. Their GDP per capita is less than 75 percent of the EU15 average, but once the new EU Member States are factored in, it rises above the threshold. The Hainaut region in Belgium for example has a GDP per capita of 68.85 percent of the EU15 average, but this rises to 75.45 percent in the EU25 – meaning Hainaut could be marginally above the threshold for Objective 1 assistance. The European Commission proposes to continue to assist these regions – though at decreasing levels over a number of years. Speaking at a Plenary session of the Committee of the Regions on 13 April, Regional Policy Commissioner Danuta Hübner said support would be concentrated in the least prosperous regions. At the same time, however, the Commission will “address structural deficiencies which more affluent regions encounter on their way to economic prosperity and competitiveness.” She called for support for the Commission’s plans from the Member States. “We need a cohesion policy which is simple, modern and effective,” she said, “With sufficient financial resources and available to all the European regions.” To consult the list of these regions: http://europa.eu.int/comm/regional_policy/newsroom/document/pdf/gdp20002002.pdf

EU industrial pollution information portal wins leading award

The European Commission and the European Environment Agency (EEA) have won an award from a leading organisation promoting access to EU information, for their work in providing public access to pollution data. The award was presented by the European Information Service (EIA) at its Annual Conference 2005 in London. The European Commission/EEA won first place in the Electronic Sources Category for the European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER), a publicly accessible database of 10,000 European industrial facilities showing levels of emissions into air and water. EPER currently covers the fifteen pre-enlargement EU states plus Hungary and Norway. Users can search the database by country, industrial sector, date and type of pollutant. Details of emissions down to the level of individual factories and even farms are available, along with satellite images and links to national registers. Since the website was launched in February 2004 it has recorded over 230,000 visits. The European Commission will translate the website into all EU languages by 2006, when a new round of reporting of emissions by Member States will take place. You can visit the EPER website at: http://eper.cec.eu.int.

 

News from the networks

40 organisations call for renewable heating and cooling

On 7 April, a joint declaration calling for an EU directive in the field of renewable heating and cooling was presented by a group of 40 organisations, i ncluding Greenpeace, WWF, CAN Europe, Friends of the Earth, etc. Initiated by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), the declaration urges the EU Institutions to draw up a directive for renewable heating and cooling with a legally-binding target of 25% by 2020. Ole Pilgaard, member of the EREC Board of Directors and President of ESTIF said: “ Europe is at the forefront of developing renewable electricity technologies.” However, the joint declaration points out that nearly half of European energy consumption is needed in the heating sector, but there is not yet a single piece of EU legislation in place that aims to increase the share of renewable heating and cooling production. The declaration also argues that the promotion of renewable heating and cooling “will significantly contribute to the reduction of the EU’s energy import dependence, to the reduction of greenhouse gases and to the creation of sustainable jobs”. For more information, visit: http://www.erec-re newables.org

 

Funding opportunities

New call for RTD actions

The European Commission has just published a Call for proposals for indirect RTD actions under the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration: “Structuring the European Research Area” . The following areas are covered by the call: f acilitating the integration of open standards into the design of new products and services as well as into business practices; and stimulating innovation through reference to standards in procurement . Indicative budget: €5.5 million. Interested parties are invited to submit their proposals for indirect RTD actions – exclusively in electronic format – by 19 July 2005. For additional information, contact: European Commission, FP6 Information Desk , RDT Directorate-General, B-1049 Brussels, Website: http://www.cordis.lu/fp6 . Call FP6-2005-INNOV-8 , OJ C 91 of 15 April 2005.

 Actions to mainstream disability into relevant policies

The Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities has launched a call for proposals ( VP/2005/006) aimed at mainstreaming disability into relevant policies by co-financing a limited number of major transnational projects. Actions under this call for proposals must be implemented by actors from at least five Member States of the enlarged European Union of 25 Member States . The total available budget is €2,700,000. Deadline for submission of proposals to the Commission: 11 July 2005. For more information, contact: European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities , Unit EMPL/G.3 – I ntegration of People with Disabilities , Office SPA3 01/036, B-1049 Brussels, E-mail: fatima.ribeiro@cec.eu.int, Website: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/calls/tender_en.cfm

Combating poverty and social exclusion

The Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities has launched a call for proposals concerning support for key European networks involved in the fight against poverty and social exclusion. Applicants must be non-profit organisations whose members are themselves non-profit organisations established in at least twelve Member States of the European Community. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, 29 July 2005. The total budget available under the present call is approximately €3,600,000 per year. For more information, contact: European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities , J27 1/33, B-1049 Brussels, E-mail: empl-e2@cec.eu.int, T: +32 2 299 80 76. Call for proposals VP/2005/007.

Thematic issues related to social situation, demography and family 

 The Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities has launched a call for proposals concerning the “Analysis of thematic issues related to social situation, demography and family”. Total available budget € 750,000. The proposals should be aimed at transnational analysis and the exchange of views and experiences in the form of research activities and/or workshops and conferences. The action must concern one of the following priorities: family/household trends and policy implications; social capital and social cohesion in a knowledge-based society; the social policy implications of time-use. Closing date: 17 June 2005. For additional information, contact: European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Unit E.1, J-27 1/122, Rue de Genève 1, B-1049 Brussels, E-mail: empl-e1-courrier@cec.eu.int ). Call for proposals VP/2005/012.

 

Forthcoming events

1 and 2 June 2005, Paris (FR)

 Information Today is organising, on 1 and 2 June 2005, an intensive two-day conference entitled « Enterprise Search Paris - Solving the Findability Dilemma in Your Organisation » and covering the essentials of developing and managing an internal search capability. This event is aimed at information managers, IT professionals and all those responsible for organising, managing, and retrieving internal and/or external information. It will provide participants with an opportunity to study the strategies and to learn more about making the content that they are acquiring, publishing, organising, or managing not only searchable, but ‘findable’. The registration fee is 430 euros if paid by 13 May and 450 euros thereafter. For more information, contact: Information Today Ltd, Woodside, Hinksey Hill, Oxford OX1 5BE, UK, T: +44 18650327813, F: +44 1865 730232, e-mail: paris@infotoday.com, website: www.infotoday.com/Paris/EnterpriseSearch.

2-3 June 2005, Lyon (FR)

INAISE, the International Association of Investors in the Social Economy, is organising an international conference on the theme “New markets for social finance” (Lyon, 2-3 June). In the course of the conference, a number of parallel workshops will be held (in English and French) on a variety of subjects, including e.g. the training of future workers and leaders in the social banking sector; how networks can interlink to develop at a worldwide level, etc. The closing date for registration is 4 May. Registration fee: Free of charge for INAISE members; €130 for other participants. The conference programme and registration form can be downloaded from: http://www.i naise.org.

June 2005, new Member States + BG, RO and TR

A number of national seminars will be held during the month of June in each of the new Member States as well as in Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, within the framework of the project “Mapping capacity of civil society dealing with anti-discrimination”, which is financed by the European Commission. The focus of the seminars will be on the role of NGOs in combating all forms of discrimination as well as on awareness-raising, dialogue with governments, support for victims and litigation in the context of the national situation of government legislation and policies. Deadlines for registration: between 28 April and 5 May, depending on the country. Comprehensive information and registration forms for each of the countries can be downloaded from: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/employm ent_social/fundamental_rights/civil/map_en.htm

 

Publications

Monitoring Agri-trade Policy

 The European Commission's Directorate-general for Agriculture and Rural Development recently launched the first edition of “Monitoring Agri-trade Policy” (MAP), a quarterly newsletter that provides in-depth analysis on relevant agricultural trade and agri-trade policy issues. The first edition (March 2005) focuses on U.S. farm policy: how it has evolved, the main elements of its domestic support system and how it compares to EU farm policy. “MAP” is only available on-line and in English. To read the publication on-line: http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/publi/map/1.pdf To subscribe to the “MAP” e-mail alert: http://europa.eu.int/comm/coreservices/mailing/index.cfm?form=register&serviceid=1551

Social Agenda 2005-2010

The Directorate-General for Employment and Social Affairs has just published its “S ocial Agenda 2005-2010 – A social Europe in the global economy: Jobs and opportunities for all” . This 29-page, free publication provides an overview of the new 2005-2010 Agenda adopted in February 2005, in addition to presenting the Commission’s Communication on the Social Agenda (COM (2005) 33 final) as well as a number of reference documents and useful Internet links. To subscribe to the publications of the DG for Employment and Social Affairs , visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/sagapLink/dspSubscribe.do?lang=en

Everything you wanted to know about EMU

 The Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs is making available an on-line compilation of 400 historical documents on the creation of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in Europe and the role of the Commission in this process. The compilation contains the Commission’s internal and external documents relating to all the major decisions and events leading up to the introduction of the single currency on 1 January 2002. However, it does not claim to be a comprehensive compilation of all documents: If users find that a document relevant to the compilation is missing, they are kindly invited to send a copy of the same to: ecfin-hemudoc@cec.eu.int. To find out more about this documentation, visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/econ omy_finance/emu_history/index_en.htm.

 

Announcement

International fellows for urban studies

The Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies International Urban Fellows programme is designed to create a worldwide network of professionals engaged in the study of urban policy. It brings scholars in urban policy studies outside of the U.S. to the Hopkins campus each year for a programme of advanced study, research and training. Positions are available at the Senior or Junior level and for either four or eight months. The programme will benefit promising researchers who will gain a semester or academic year of reflection, exposure to American and cross-national experience, and immersion in the literature and issues of urban policy. Successful candidates should have strong interests and a proven record of accomplishment in the urban policy field, the capability to conduct independent inquiry into some facet of the growth, decline, and revitalisation of cities and the welfare of urban residents, and a solid fluency in spoken and written English. Special sponsored fellowship opportunities are available for Swedish and Italian scholars and practitioners. For more information, visit the website www.jhu.edu/~ips/fellows/urban/index.html or contact Marsha R. B. Schachtel at mschacht@jhu.edu

 

 

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Responsible at Law: William Van Dingenen - Editor in Chief: Isabelle Mirambet - Editors: Monique Braem, Stephen Gardner, Wendy Jones, Eirini Nikolaïdou, Verónica Catediano.