27 March 2023

European sectoral employers’ key messages to strengthen social dialogue

On 27 March 2023, Ceemet together with seven European sectoral employers’ organisations – EBF, ECEG, EFCI , FIEC, GEOPA, Hotrec and WEC published an Open letter on the draft motion for a resolution on strengthening social dialogue that is currently being discussed in the European Parliaments’ Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Committee.

In their letter, the employer organisations’ re-affirm the importance of the European social model based, amongst others, on sectoral social dialogue, well-functioning collective bargaining systems and autonomous and representative social partners.

The European sector employers’ organisations express their concerns regarding the alternative approach proposed for the financing of the EU social dialogue that could endanger both the autonomy of social partners and their capacity to come up with meaningful outcomes. When it comes to capacity building, the organisations claim that a clear distinction should be made between capacity building support for social partners and NGOs.

Further, they call for the better regulation principle to be fully implemented and insist on the need to avoid new unnecessary legislation which will only bring additional administrative burden for companies and particularly for SME’s. Accordingly, they request the Commission to refrain from proposing new legislation in the field of information and consultation of workers.