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COM(79)224
Vol.1979/0093

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
: COM(79)224 final
Brussels .26th April 1979
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IMPROVEMENT OFRELATIONS WITH THE SOCIAL PARTNERS
INTHE CONTEXT OFTHE TRIPARTITE CONFERENCES
(Communication from the Commission tothe Council )
COM (79)224 final
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COMMUNICATION FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCILONIMPROVING
RELATIONS WITHTHESOCIALPARTNERS
CONTENTS Page
I.Introduction 1
II.TasksassignedbytheEuropeanCouncil 2
III.PositionoftheSocialPartners :
a)PositionoftheEuropeanTradesUnion 3
Confederation
b)PositionoftheUnionofIndustriesofthe 4
EuropeanCommunities
IV.Commissionopinionsandsuggestions 4
a)CompositionoftheConference 4
b)Proposedprocedure 5
c)Additional comments 6
Conclusion 7
AnnexI:ExtractfromtheCouncilDecisionof20January1975.

IMPROVEMENT OFRELATIONS WITHTHESOCIALPARTNERS
INTHECONTEXT OFTHETRIPARTITE CONFERENCES
(communication fromtheCommission totheCouncil)
INTRODUCTION
1.Thesocialpartnerswishtoparticipate morefullyintheeconomic
andsocialdecisionsoftheCommunityledtheCommunityinstitutions
toconvenetheTripartite conferences sothattheprincipalproblems
confronting theCommunitycouldbediscussedtogether.TheEuropean
Councilof12and13March1979confirmedtheimportanceofsuchdial­
oguebetweenlabourandemployers 1representatives andtheCommunity.
2.TheTripartite conference canthereforeprovideaprivileged forum
fordialogue,jointactionandconsultation betweentheCommission,
theCouncil(or,whereappropriate,therepresentatives ofthegovernm
entsofMemberStates)andthesocialpartners.Aconsensusofopin­
ioncanthusbereachedonCommunityactionstrategies toachieve
majorpolicyobjectives suchasgrowthandthefightagainstunemploym
ent.Theycouldalsobetheplacewherethoseconcernedcouldevolve
themainlinesofagreement onCommunitylevelactions.
3.TheEuropeanTradeUnionConfederation considered theproceedings of
theTripartite conferenceof9November1978disappointing .When
theirExecutive Committee metonthedayaftertheConference,it
criticized thelackofconcreteresultsintheconclusions drawnby
theChairmanattheendofthemeeting,andadoptedthefollowing
position :
"(...)theEuropeanTradeUnionConfederation shouldnotagreeto
takepartinanotherConference preparedandorganizedalongthe
linesoftheoneholdin1978.

-2-/
(...)
ThisisthereasonwhytheExecutive Committee hasdecidedthatit
mustreconsiderthefundamental roleandnatureoffutureTripart­
iteconferences,byenvisagingothermethodsofinfluencing decis­
ionsandothermethodsofpromotingtheinterestsofworkersin
Europe".
TheEuropeanCouncil,whichmetinBrusselson4and5December1978,
wasinformedofthispositionbyadelegation fromtheE.T.U.C.,which
mettheChairmanoftheEuropeanCouncil.
II.TASKSASSIGNED BYTHEEUROPEAN COUNCIL
4.TheEuropeanCouncilof4December1978expressedthehopethatEurop-
ean-levelcontactswiththesocialpartnerswouldbemaintained and
invitedtheCouncil(ofMinistersfortheEconomyandforfinance,
andofMinistersforlabourandsocialaffairs)tostudythesocial
partners'proposalsforimprovingtheworkingmethodsoftheConfer­
ence,withaviewtoreachingagreement.
TheMinistersforlabourandsocialaffairshadapreliminary exchange
ofviewsonthesubjectattheirinformalmeetingon9and10March.
TheEuropeanCouncil,whichmeton12and13March,havingfirstpoint­
edouttheimportanceofconsultation withthesocialpartnersat
nationalandCommunitylevel,"notedwithsatisfaction theintention
oftheMinistersforsocialaffairstotakethenecessarymeasuresto
improvetheworkofCommunitytripartitemeetingsbetweenworkers*
andemployers 1organizations andtheCommunity".

-3-
III .POSITION OFTHE SOCIAL PARTNERS
a)Position ofthe European Trade Union Confederation
5.Inaletter totheCommission dated 28February 1979 ,thePresident
ofthe European Trade Union Confederation stated that this Executive
Committee would notconsider taking part inanay future Tripartite
conference until the conditions listed below had been fulfilled :
Thethemes ofTripartite conferences should first bediscussed by
allparties involved ;
-theEuropean Commission would beresponsible fordrawing upadoc­
ument containing ananalysis andfirm proposals which would be
submitted tothe social partners andtheCouncil ofministers in
good time ;
-the Council ofministers would adopt aposition onthe Commission
proposals .Ifnecessary ,inorder toform anopinion ,theCouncil
could consult the social partners before adopting its final pos­
ition ;
-attheplenary meeting ,thespokesman forthetwosides andthe
representatives ofthegovernments would speak indefence oftheir
theses .
The representatives ofthegovernments would then act intheir cap­
acity ofCouncil members and assuch ,submit aproposal for a
final Statement .
Theproposal for aStatement would besubmitted totheTripartite
conference which could accept ,amend orreject it.Itshould also
bepossible tobeinfavour oropposed tocertain paragraphs .
-apress conference ,convened immediately after theConference ,would
enable theChairman oftheConference andthesocial partners'
spokesmen topresent their conclusions ;
-given this procedure ,itwould benecessary for aTripartite conf­
erence ofthis type tobehold foratleast twodays".
/

-4-
Furthermore,theExecutiveCommitteeoftheE.T.U.C.remphasises
theneedtoimprovetheoperationoftheStandingCommitteeon
Employment atthesametime.
b)PositionoftheUnionofIndustriesoftheEuropeanCommunities
6.TheCommission hasalsobeenintouchwiththeUnionofIndustries
oftheEuropeanCommunities .Althoughitdoesnotyethaveanydef­
initeproposals onimprovements intheworkingmethodsoftheTrip­
artiteconferences,italsofeelsthatitwouldbeadvisablefor:
-theCounciltotakepartandtoadoptapositionasaninstitution
oftheCommunity onthemattersunderdiscussipn,bothintheTrip­
artiteConference andintheStandingCommittee onEmployment;
-thesocialpartnerstobeconsultedinamoresystematic waythan
formerlyindecidingtheconclusions oftheTripartite conference
oroftheStandingCommitteeonEmployment.
IV.COMMISSION OPINIONS ANDSUGGESTIONS
7.InthelightofthetalksbetweentheMinistersforlabourandsocial
affairsandfollowingcontactswiththesocialpartners,theCommission
proposesthattheTripartite conference shouldberunonthefollowing
lines:
a)Composition oftheConference
8.Asregardsthecomposition oftheTripartite conferences,uptonow
theCouncilhaspragmatically decidedtoallocatethesametotalnumb­
ersoffullandalternaterepresentatives totheorganizations ofthe
socialpartners,asthetotalallocatedintheDecisionsettingupthe
StandingCommitteeonEmployment,asamendedon20January1975.Thus,
thenumberofrepresentatives oftheEmployers *andworkers'

-5~
organizations totalsfifty-four (thirtysixfullandeighteenaltern­
atemembers),theemployers'groupandtheworkers'group havingan
equalnumber ,offullandalternaterepresentatives (thecomposition
ofthedelegationsjsattachedatannex).
TheCommission considersitadvisabletomaintainthiscomposition
oftheConference,basedonthatoftheStandingCommitteeofEmpl­
oyment.'
Inaddition,eighteenrepresentatives ofthegovernments ofMember
statesandthreeCommissionrepresentatives willtakeageneralpart
inthework.Thusthereare75.participants' "intheConference.
Theactualmembersparticipating intheTripartite Conferences
aremoreovernoticeably greaterthanatsessionsoftheStanding
Employment Committee :notonlyaretheactualgovernment
delegations larger,butinadditionthesocialpartners
organisations generally demandthatasignificant numberof
supplementary observersshouldbepresent.
b)Proposedprocedure
9.Inviewoftheabove,theCommissionproposesthatTripartiteconf­
erencesshouldinfuturefollowtheproceduresdescribedbelow:
10.ThesubjectoftheTripartiteconferenceshouldbeadoptedbythe
Councilafterconsultation withtheCommission andthesocialpartn­
ers.Thesubjectshouldinprinciplebechosenatleastsixmonths
beforetheConference.TheStandingCommitteeonEmployment andthe
EconomicpolicyCommitteecouldcarryoutin-depthstudiesoncertain
subjectschosenbytheCouncil.
11.TheCommissionshouldalsodrawupdraftconclusions whichitwould
forwardtothepartiespresentattheConference.TheCommission,
theCouncil-or,whereappropriate,therepresentatives oftheGov­
ernmentsofMemberStates-andthesocialpartnerswouldadopttheir
respectivepositionandinformtheChairmanwho,inconjunctionwith
theCommissioa,vouldpreparehisdraftconclusions forultimate
forwardingtothsTripartite Confereaee.

-6
12.During theConference ,each party ;pamely theCouncil -orthe
representatives oftheMember states -,theCommission andthe
social partners ,would notify itsopinion ofthe.draft conclus­
ions .TheChairman would then study ,with therepresentatives
oftheparties concerned ,theamendments totheconclusions he
presented totheConference that should bemade inthe light of
thediscussion .Thefinal text would beadopted bytheConfer­
ence .Ifnecessary ,itwill include comments made byparties to
the Conference .
13.Each party should contribute toimplementing theconclusions thus
adopted ,inaccordance with itsstructures anditsresponsibilities .
14.TheCommission will prepare theproposals orsuggestions which
itconsiders appropriate inorder toimplement the
conclusions .
Depending ontheir nature ,theproposals orsuggestions could be
addressed either toCommunity institutions ortobodies fordial­
ogue andjoint action ,ortotheorganizations ofthe two
sides ofindustry .'
15.Reports could bedrawn upbytheparties concerned ,onthefulfill -
ment ofcommittments forconsideration ,asappropriate ,bythe
Economic policy Committee andtheStanding Committee onEmployment
or,possibly ,atthenext Tripartite conference .
c)Additional comments
16.This communication makes several references tothe Council .At
recent Tripartite conferences ,theCouncil wasrepresented bythe
Ministers forLabour and Social Affairs and theMinisters for Fin­
ance andEconomic Affairs .Itispossible that other Ministers
will take part intheConferences ,depending onthesubject under
discussion .

17.Itisstaed inparagraph 10that preparatory work fortheTripartite
•conference could begiven totheStanding Committee onEmployment or
theEconomic policy Committee .However ,attention should bedrawn to
thedifferent structure ofthetwobodies ,theCommittee onEconomic policy
being composed ofsenior officials whose role istogive opinions to
theCommission and theCouncil ofMinisters .Because ofthis ,the
Committee initspresent structure cannot constitute aforum forpolit­
ical discussion between theCouncil andthesocial partners ,whereas this ispossible
within theStanding Committee opEmployment where Ministers have seats .
18.Inparagraph 14,itisstated that each oftheparties concerned ,incl­
uding theCouncil ,should make known itsopinion ofthedraft conclus­
ions .Ifthe Council approves this procedure ,itwould beuseful to
examine whether itwould notbeadvisable forthecountry which holds
theoffice ofPresident ofthe Council toappoint oneofitsMinisters
totheChair oftheTripartite conference ,theother Minister acting
onbehalf ofthe Council .
19.Theproposed procedure will probably mean atwo-day Conference ,to
enable discussions totake place without haste and with allpossible
cooperation .
20.Formaximum effectiveness oftheConference ,itwould beextremely
desirable forbilateral talks tobeheld between thesocial partners
atCommunity level .
o
0 0
-ι
CONCLUSIONS
TheCommission hopes that theCouncil will adopt aposition onthe
procedures proposed inthis Communication which arethesubject of
theattached draft Resolution .Onthis basis ,.thePresident ofthe
Council ,,inclose cooperation with theCommission ,could consult the
social partners with aview topresenting areport attheforthcoming
meeting oftheEuropean Council .
Tothis end ,theCommission considers that itvould beappropriate
toestablish agreement within theCouncil onthe following points <

-8_
1.TheCouncilconsidersthatimprovementintheworking
methodsandorganisational proceduresoftheTripartite
Conferences shouldbebasedonthefollowingguidelines :
a)ThesubjectmatterofTripartiteConferenceshallbe
chosenbytheCouncilafterconsultation withthe
Commission andtheSocialPartners.Thesubjectshall
bechosenatleastsixmonthsbeforetheConference .
TheStandingCommitteeonEmployment andtheEconomic
PolicyCommitteemaybeentrustedwiththestudyof
certainpreparatory themesfortheTripartiteConference.
TheCommissionshallbe.responsiblefordrawingupaworking
documentfortheTripartiteConferencebasedonthesubject
chosenbytheCouncil
b)TheCommissionshallalsopreparedraftconclusions whichitshall
forwardtotheotherpartiespresentattheConference.TheCouncil ;
(or,inappropriate cases,therepresentatives oftheMemberStates
Governments )andtheSocialPartnersshalladopttheirpositions
andcommunicate themtotheChairmanwhoshalldrawupthedraft
conclusions inconjunction withtheCommissionandforwardthem
totheTripartite Conference;
c)Onceeachparty-Council,MemberStates,Commission and
SocialPartnershavesubmittedtheiropinionsonthedraft
conclusions duringtheConferences,theChairmanshall,together
withtherepresentatives ofthepartiesconcerned,consider
theamendmentstobemade,inthelightofthediscussions,
totheconclusions presentedtotheConference.
Thefinaltextoftheconclusionsshallbeadoptedbythe
Conference.Itshall,wherenecessary,beaccompanied by
observations madebythepartiestotheConference.
d)Eachpartyshallcontributetotheimplementing ofthe
conclusionsthusadopted,inaccordancewithitsstructures
andInthefieldofitsownresponsibilities .

-9_
e)TheCommission will prepare theproposals orsuggestions
which itconsiders appropriate inorder toimplement the
conclusions .
Such proposals orsuggestions could ,depending ontheir
nature ,beaddressed either toCommunity institutions
ortobodies fordialogue andjoint action ,ortothe
organisations ofthetwo sides ofindustry .
f)The fulfillment ofcommitments could form the subject of
reports tobedrawn upbytheparties concerned and
studied bytheappropriate bodies or,possibly ,bythenext
Tripartite Conference .
2.The Council shall request itsPresident ,inclose liaison with
theCommission ,toprocede with consultation with the Social
Partners onthe basis ofthis outline .
3.After evaluating the results ofthese consultations ,theCouncil
will report totheEuropean Council ofthe 22and 23June onthe
outline fixing theorganisational procedures andworking methods
offuture Tripartite Conferences .liaison with
the Social

ANNEX
Extract oftheCouncil Decision of20January 1975 (75/o2/CEE )
Delegates totheCommittee shall beasfollows :
Full Alternate
representatives representatives
from the employers' organizations :
Employers' Liaison Committee 11 5
•Union ofIndustries ofthe
European Community
(UNICE )
•Committee ofCommercial
Organizations intheCountries
ofthe EEC
(C0CCEE )
•Union ofMaster Craftsmen of
the EEC
(UACEE )
.European Insurance Committee
(CEA )
Committee ofAgricultural Trade
Organizations ofthe EEC
(COPA ) 2
European Centre forPublic
Enterprise
(CEEP ) 3 2
18 9
-from theworkers' organizations :
•European Trade Union
Confédération
(ETUC ) 17
•Confédération générale dutravail )
(France ) )
(CGT ) )
•Confédération générale desCadres \
/«ι \ / 4(France )
(CGC )
Confédération Française des
travailleurs chrétiens
(CFTC )
18