Council Resolution of 6 February 2003 on Social Inclusion — through social dialogue and partnership
Date: 2003-02-06
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: European social policy, marginalisation, poverty, social dialogue, social integration, social partners

18.2.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 39/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 6 February 2003

on Social Inclusion — through social dialogue and partnership

(2003/C 39/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

RECALLING THAT:

to the modernisation of

1. social inclusion was established as a political objective in
the Presidency Conclusions of the Nice European Council,
following the Conclusions of the Lisbon European Council
which set strategic goals for sustainable growth, more and
better jobs and greater social cohesion, and affirmed social
the
inclusion as fundamental
European social model. The Barcelona European Council
Conclusions
social
to the achievement of
partners
these goals, and the
Council
is confirming its own commitment to making
serious inroads into the eradication of poverty and social
exclusion in adopting revised common objectives for the
second round of the National Action Plans for the fight
against poverty and social exclusion for the period of 2003
to 2005;

contribution of

specified the

the

on

the

Communication

national governments, regional and local authorities, social
partners and civil society organisations, to improve the
involvement of stakeholders and to establish minimum
standards for consultation — as most recently emphasised
in the White Paper on Good Governance and the
Commission's
European
Employment Strategy. The European Round Table on
Poverty and Social Exclusion held in Aarhus in October
2002 showed a strengthened commitment on the part of
to
social partners, NGOs and other
contributing to the process. Accordingly,
the revised
common objectives and working methods for the social
the need to promote both
inclusion process
dialogue with and the participation of all relevant bodies
including
service
providers, and the active commitment of citizens in the
fight against poverty and social exclusion. Furthermore, the
Commission's Communication
Social
Responsibility highlighted the fact that undertakings are
increasingly taking social and environmental concerns
into account in their behaviour;

social partners, NGOs

involved actors

on Corporate

and social

stress

in

by

the

the

and

Social

Partners

endorsed

2. social dialogue is a force for promoting innovation and
change through ensuring a balance between flexibility
and security, through its response to challenges such as
developing lifelong learning,
improving mobility, active
ageing and through promoting equal opportunity and
diversity — as recognised by the High-Level Group on
Laeken
Industrial Relations
Declaration
the
Commission's Communications on ‘The European Social
Dialogue’
and ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. The
Commission's Communication on Social Dialogue called
the
on the social partners to broaden the agenda of
social dialogue through developing their autonomous
dialogue and increasing their involvement in both tripartite
concertation and the open method of
coordination
processes. The Laeken Declaration by the Social Partners
joint work
affirmed
programmes
to promote modernisation and
change within the European Union, as well as to prepare
for enlargement;

in order

intention

establish

their

and

by

to

3. partnership and improved governance are a means of
accommodating the
increasing demands which civil
society places on the State. There is therefore a need to
strengthen collaboration between European institutions,

EMPHASISING THAT:

4. there is an increasing need for more widespread social
inclusion which will allow as many people as possible to
be active participants in the labour market and in society
at large, regardless of racial and ethnic background, gender,
age, disability,
religion and sexual orientation; a need
which is underlined by current demographic changes
which pose serious challenges to the future supply of
labour and the smooth functioning of labour markets;

as well

as new policies

5. the promotion of increased social inclusion will require a
strong, coordinated multi-dimensional policy response to
rapidly changing economic and social conditions, using
preventive measures
and
approaches. This policy can be strengthened in time by
streamlining the open methods of coordination in the
Social Protection field and considering how they relate to
other strategies. Because social inclusion goes beyond tradi-
tional labour market approaches, covering issues such as
health, education, housing and social services, it becomes
necessary to involve a number of different players, making
dialogue and partnership important means for helping
formulate,
implement and take shared responsibility for
activities;

C 39/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

18.2.2003

6. there is a need for all relevant actors to be aware of the
effects of their actions on social inclusion and on people at
risk of marginalisation, across policy fields and in their
respective fields of competence and work, as well as in
cooperation with other stakeholders;

7. the enlargement of

the EU, adding significantly to the
number of Member States, and the variety of regions and
different levels of economic prosperity, sharpen the need
for social inclusion as a means for ensuring greater social
cohesion;

INVITES THE COMMISSION:

8. to continue to promote social dialogue and partnership in
the context of an enlarged Union as a means of promoting
social
levels;
regional and local
particular emphasis
should be placed on prevention,
including keeping people in jobs, and remedial measures;

inclusion at national,

9. to ensure that particular attention is paid to the full inte-
inclusion in the economic and social

gration of social
strategy of the Union;

10.

in the context of existing processes and programmes, to
continue to collect and analyse national, regional and local
examples of social inclusion through social dialogue and
partnership, in order to help disseminate examples of good
target groups and
practice,
models for collaboration;

in terms of stakeholders,

INVITES THE MEMBER STATES:

11.

12.

in line with the revised common objectives for the fight
against poverty and social exclusion,
to reinforce the
involvement of the social partners and all other relevant
actors in the social inclusion process including, according
to national practice, the preparation, implementation and
monitoring of the National Action Plans;

in line with the revised common objectives for the fight
against poverty and social exclusion, and in the context of
the European Employment Strategy, to ensure that social
inclusion will contribute to the eradication of poverty and
the promotion of social cohesion and will improve access
to the labour market
in
the positive
taking
particular

for both men and women,
full

account of

by

contribution to social inclusion of social dialogue and part-
nership;

13. to promote and invite the active participation in part-
nerships of stakeholders, such as local authorities, trade
unions, companies, NGOs and those directly involved;

INVITES THE SOCIAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE IN CLOSE COOP-
ERATION WITH THE SOCIAL PARTNERS:

14. building on the informal consultations which have been
developed to date, to consolidate tripartite concertation on
the ongoing work on social inclusion, and to promote the
the social partners in the social
active involvement of
the Commission's
inclusion process,
Communication on ‘The European Social Dialogue’;

in the spirit of

INVITES THE SOCIAL PROTECTION COMMITTEE:

15. to promote opportunities, in particular in the context of
to strengthen the

the annual European Round Table,
dialogue with civil society organisations;

INVITES THE SOCIAL PARTNERS:

16. to

identify

possible

and
approaches for specific activities conducive to increased
social inclusion;

partnership mechanisms

17. to consider, within their autonomous dialogue, initiatives
inclusion in an enlarged Union;

for strengthening social

18. to increase their involvement in the open method of coor-
dination on poverty, social exclusion and employment
with a view to promoting an inclusive society and
labour market;

INVITES THE CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS:

19. to identify and develop partnerships and approaches for
specific activities with a view to promoting an inclusive
society and, as appropriate, an inclusive labour market;
and

20. to increase their involvement in the open method of coor-
dination on poverty and social exclusion, with a view to
promoting an inclusive society.