WRITTEN QUESTION E-0477/97 by Kirsi Piha (PPE) to the Commission (19 February 1997)

Subject: Negotiating role for employers' associations

In the European Union it is standard practice to prepare Commission proposals which affect the relationship between employers and employees in so-called tripartite talks which generally involve the Commission and the two sides of industry.

In the EU Member States SMUs account for more than 60% of jobs in the private sector. The organization representing such undertakings could take part in the talks, given its important expertise in connection with private sector jobs. Employers' associations from a number of countries are currently involved in Europe-wide efforts to set up a joint umbrella organization.

How does the Commission plan to ensure that the current tripartite talks become official quadripartite talks, so that the interests of SMUs, the undertakings which actually create jobs, are better represented?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (14 April 1997)

In a recent Communication, the Commission points out that the social dialogue is a key element of the European social model ((Doc. COM(96) 448. )). The economic and political integration of Europe, as well as its social stability, would have been unthinkable without the involvement and active support of the social partners. This Communication presents all the aspects of the social dialogue, the issues it deals with and the way it operates, and raises questions concerning the effectiveness of certain of its aspects, the transparency and profile of its results, and the problem of representativeness.

The social dialogue covers different situations and practices. The Agreement on Social Policy annexed to the EC Treaty makes a very clear distinction between the consultation of the social partners, on the one hand, and the dialogue between them, which may lead to negotiations and the conclusion of agreements at Community level, on the other.

The Commission regularly informs a large number of trade union and employers' organisations of the main lines and content of its social initiatives. In a Communication of 14 December 1993 ((Doc. COM(93) 600. )), it gave a list of organisations to be consulted formally under Article 3 of the Agreement on Social Policy, which includes organisations representing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

As regards negotiations proper, the Commission sees a need to ensure that the principle of the independence of employers' and workers' organisations is preserved, which means that they must recognise each other as partners authorised to negotiate at European level. It follows that the Commission does not have the power to impose the participation of a particular trade union or employers' organisation at the negotiating table.

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that the development of the dialogue and the negotiating structures is the exclusive responsibility of the social partners. It encourages the partners to promote a dialogue which is as open and representative as possible by showing openness and flexibility in order to ensure appropriate participation in the negotiations. The Commission is ready to support all positive measures adopted by the partners in this area.