The adoption of the Council recommendation on social dialogue must give a new impetus to social partners across the 27

On Monday 12 June 2023, EU ministers of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council configuration (EPSCO) discussed and adopted the Council Recommendation on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union.

SGI Europe welcomes this swift adoption of the Council recommendation, which builds upon the proposal from the European Commission proposed in January 2023.

Following the adoption of the Council recommendation, Valeria Ronzitti, SGI Europe General Secretary, commented:

“The final agreement for a Council recommendation on strengthening social dialogue is built upon the right foundation stones. It stems from more than a year of consultations between social partners at the EU level and the European Commission, and SGI Europe welcomes the swift agreement in Council on its content.”

“Autonomous social dialogue is the only way to improve working conditions and competitiveness. The Council recommendation provides tools to the Member States to guarantee better structural support for social partners. It should provide a new impetus to national collective bargaining and structurally reinforce social partners across the EU.”

“The Recommendation should help shape the future of social dialogue in Europe. It must support social partners in their responsibilities, create a framework to monitor the situation on the ground and, hopefully, give a new dynamic to collective bargaining at all levels.”

On the basis of the newly adopted Recommendation, SGI Europe will continue to engage with EU institutions and Member States to support the capacity-building of employers of services of general interest and public services.

(Photo: Nicolas Schmit, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Johan Pehrson, Swedish Minister for Employment and Integration, and Paulina Brandberg, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality and Deputy Minister for Employment, Sweden. Copyright: European Union)