SGI Europe at the “Future of Work and Social Dialogue” high-level event of the Spanish Presidency of the Council

On Thursday 21 and Friday 22 September 2023, Valeria Ronzitti, General Secretary, addressed in Santiago de Compostella the high-level event “Future of Work and Social Dialogue”, organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU.

On 21 September, addressing the topic “The European Social Model in the International Context”, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, said:

“The EU social model champions the idea that social and labour rights are integral to achieving sustainable economic growth and societal harmony. Our social model has led to many concrete achievements, including high quality, affordability and accessibility of services of general interest. I am convinced there would be no EU social and economic model without developing strong SGIs.”

“We now need decisive steps to awaken a “geopolitical Europe”, able to answer global and economic challenges. The Open Strategic Autonomy must be at the centre of the EU global standing, through both political and institutional commitments, with Member States supporting each other instead of actively competing with one another."

On 22 September, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, addressed “Green Collective Bargaining":

“A key challenge for collective bargaining to address the green transition is to develop an adequate response to the current significant labour and skills shortages, and which endanger our ability to lead the transition successfully. Social partners have a key role to play in developing methodologies to address the green transition.

A central instrument in this sense is collective bargaining, and the introduction of specifications concerning green skills training in sectoral or company agreements to  enhance customised training, harmonise the developments, identify green skills and share good practices.”

(Photo: Ministerio de Trabajo y Economía social - Presidencia Espanola Consejo de la Union Europea)