COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 25.09.1995 
COM(95) 445 final 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 
ON THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL 
RELATIONS 
(ECIR) 

1 COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE 
ESTABLISHMENT OF A EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL 
RELATIONS 
(ECIR) 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1 In its Communication on the medium-term social action programme, the 
Commission undertook to present a communication to suppprt the operation of the 
European Centre for Industrial Relations recently established at the initiative of 
the social partners at European level. 
2 On this subject it should be remembered that, at the beginning of 1994, the 
European Secretariats of three European interprofessional organisations 
participating in the European social dialogue, the UNICE, CEEP and ETUC, 
informed the Commission within the context of the social dialogue of their wish 
to establish, with the support of the Commission and in cooperation with the 
European University Institute, a "European Centre for Industrial Relations", with 
the aim of building on the richness and diversity of national situations and 
business practices to encourage the emergence of a European social relations 
culture by working to raise awareness among, and educate, employers' and trade 
union representatives appointed by the European social partners. 
In application of Article 118b of the Treaty and in accordance with Article 3.1 of 
the Agreement on social policy, under which the Commission is responsible for 
any suitable measures to facilitate dialogue between the social partners, ensuring 
balanced support for both sides and taking account of the various measures by 
which the Commission proposes to facilitate this dialogue, as set out in its 
Communication concerning the application of the Agreement on social policy1, the 
competent departments of the Directorate-General for Employment, Industrial 
COM(93) 600 final of 14 December 1993 
A 
Relations and Social Affairs have given their full cooperation and support to this 
measure through the joint working party responsible for establishing the European 
Centre for Industrial Relations. 
3 At the meeting held on 8 November 1994 between President Delors, Members of 
the Commission Messrs Flynn and Ruberti and a select delegation of Presidents 
and Secretaries-General of organisations affiliated to the ETUC, UNICE and 
CEEP on the subject of vocational training in the context of the conclusions of the 
European Council in Essen, the Presidents of these three European organisations 
confirmed their willingness to proceed rapidly, once the preparatory work was 
completed, to establish the European Centre for Industrial Relations 
4 With the deliberating bodies of each of the three above-mentioned organisations 
having come out in favour, the three Secretaries-General of the UNICE, CEEP and 
ETUC then drew up and adopted draft rules of procedure in accordance with the 
Belgian Law of 25 October 1919 granting legal personality to international 
associations pursuing a philanthropic, religious, scientific, artistic or educational 
objective 
5 For its part, the Commission feels it must state its intention to govern its 
relationship with the ECIR by means of an agreement. 
It also proposes financing the work of launching the Centre, and the initial 
activities scheduled for 1995, using existing funds available under budget heading 
B3-4000. 
From 1996 it has proposed that the budgetary authority create a new budgetary 
heading B3-4005: European Centre for Industrial Relations (ECIR) 
This covers an annual grant to the ECIR, to be determined during the annual 
budget procedure for an innovative pilot project. External financing may be sought 
on a progressive basis in the light of the annual results of ECIR measures carried 
out at national level for employers and for workers' organisations. 
6 The date scheduled for inauguration of the ECIR is 20 October 1995. 
H. THE AIM OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 
7 The process of integrating the Single Market, the prospects of economic and 
monetary union and the enlargement of the European Union present new 
challenges and highlight the limitations and constraints on - but also new 
opportunities for •• action by the social partners. 
Since 1985, social dialogue aï European level has shown the importance of am! 
the need for mutual understanding of national systems with regard to legislation, 
collective bargaining and industrial relations in general in order to study as 
objectively as possible the Community dimension to these problems at all levels. 
Article 118b of the Treaty and Article 3 of the Agreement on social policy have 
shown the need for awareness-raising and education within each member 
organisation of the UNICE, CEEP and ETUC in order to pass on the results of the 
social dialogue and disseminate a true European social relations culture based on 
a mutual understanding of national realities and a common understanding of 
Community realities. 
With this in mind, the Commission proposes to maintain, continue and reinforce 
as much as possible its support, particularly financial support, for training the 
main social partners for the European social dialogue. 
The introduction of European-level training for employers' and trade union 
representatives appointed by their respective organisations meets this need. The 
aim of this joint initiative by the social partners is to make trade union and 
employers' representatives more aware of the problems associated with the social 
dialogue at national and European levels. Significant efforts must still be made in 
terms of explanations and training to reinforce mutual understanding of the 
realities of Member States and the European social dialogue. 
What is required, in order for an understanding of a European dimension to 
industrial relations to emerge, is to combine at high level input from university 
teachers and social relations practitioners. 
It should be pointed out, however, that this joint training, due to its innovative and 
experimental nature, is in no way intended to be a substitute for management 
training programmes already organised by the UNICE and CEEP on the one hand 
and the ETUC and its sector-based organisations on the other, aimed at ensuring 
improved qualifications and more dynamic participation within the various bodies 
established to conduct a dialogue at Community level. 
A partnership with the European University Institute in Florence could be based 
on the establishing of a Chair at this Institute. 
Training must take into account the historical development of social relations and 
provide specific prospects for their development, for the social dialogue and for 
the different social cultures both at national and European levels. This training 
must enable the employers' and workers' representatives appointed by their 
organisations to use tailor-made methods to acquire appropriate knowledge and 
the ability to use analytical instruments in order to: 
- acquire a general awareness of the culture underlying the construction of 
the European Union and of how its institutions operate; 
assess and study in depth information relating to socio-economic scenarios 
in their various dimensions and in the context of the internationalisation 
of markets and production, economic and monetary integration and the 
prospects offered by the Treaty on European Union; 
identify, by comparing industrial relations models and structures in the 
European countries, the instruments, levels and content of collective 
bargaining and practices and the economic and social structure for 
encouraging the social dialogue, particularly in its Community dimension 
deriving from the implementation of the Treaty, the Social Protocol and 
the Agreement by 11 Member States on the role of the social partners 
based mainly on the Agreement of 31 October 1991; 
10 The Centre will also make it possible for participants to exchange information and 
views on: 
- industrial relations systems in the different Member States; 
- forms of economic and social regulation and the respective role of the 
State and the social partners; 
- the structure and operation of employers' and trade union organisations; 
- Community policies and new instruments for economic and social 
regulation and intervention. 
11 The aim is to bring together information in order to enrich the content of training. 
Research will be conducted at the Centre in liaison with the EUI by: 
- those taking part in long courses; 
- rapporteurs from conferences, meetings, seminars and long courses 
(specific or thematic) organised at the Centre. 
Research will therefore be directly related to education and training activities at 
the Centre or elsewhere within the context of the social dialogue at national and 
European levels. 
12 The EUI, having full scientific autonomy, will carry out the basic research 
necessary for enhancing the work of the Centre and for analysing trends in social 
relations at Member State and European Union levels without restricting the 
opportunity for the social partners to call upon other institutes or universities. 
The European social partners also consider that it would be worthwhile 
establishing a permanent chair of industrial relations at the EUI and ask the 
Commission to take the necessary initiatives. 
The incumbent would be an ex officio member of the Scientific Council. 
13 The Centre is aimed at three different target groups: 
- employers' and trade union officials and representatives appointed by their 
organisations coming to gain more in-depth knowledge of each other and 
of certain aspects of the Europeanisation of their tasks within their national 
environment (eight-week courses); 
- employers' and employees' representatives on committees and consultative 
bodies at European Union level (specific or thematic one-week courses); 
- senior employers' and trade union officials appointed by their organisations 
coming to reinforce their knowledge of the European dimension, of other 
Member States and of economic and social relations (short courses and 
conferences). 
14 Training takes the form of long and short courses. Long courses will comprise 
approximately 20 officials appointed by their respective employers' and trade 
union organisations in accordance with their responsibilities and professional 
experience. 
The short courses will primarily comprise middle-ranking or senior officials 
appointed by their employers' and trade union organisations. 
In addition to these, there are also plans for thematic and specific courses aimed 
at representatives of employers' and trade union organisations within committees 
and advisory bodies at European level. 
Finally, an annual conference will provide a link between the courses held during 
a year and for an exchange of views between the social partners, politicians, 
economists and intellectuals. 
HI. STRUCTURE OF THE CENTRE 
15 MANAGEMENT BOARD 
A streamlined structure appointed by the founder members from the three 
constitutive organisations. 
It may co-opt further members by a unanimous decision of the founder members. 
The Management Board has already co-opted a member representing the EUI and 
is prepared to co-opt a member representing the Commission if the Commission 
expresses an interest. 
16 SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL 
This is to comprise 16 full members and 16 alternates, all academic 
representatives and senior practitioners appointed by the members of the 
Management Board, the FUI and the Commission. It has an advisory role. 
17 COMMITTEE OF HONOUR 
This is to comprise politicians, intellectuals and personalities from the world of 
business and from the trade union environment with a European and international 
reputation. This committee would lend the Institute considerable moral support. 
18 EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT 
This is to comprise a Director and the necessary staff. 
The Executive Secretariat would be responsible, under the Management Board, for 
the staffing, administration and management of the Centre. 
IV CONCLUSIONS 
19 Taking into account all the considerations set out above, the Commission informs 
the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament of its interest in 
the rapid establishment of the European Centre for Industrial Relations and of its 
intention to finance the Centre's work. 
Relations between the Commission and the ECIR will be the subject of an 
agreement. 

ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(95) 445 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 01 10 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-95-488-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-93827-7 
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