Recommendations for action on the European Pillar of Social Rights.

At the beginning of February 2021, Andrea Nahles, the former German Federal Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, presented her report on "Strengthening social dialogue in the EU". From July 2020, Ms Nahles has been serving as the special advisor to Nicolas Schmit, the EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, on the issue of strengthening social dialogue in Europe and the role of the social partners.

The report identifies problems in the European dialogues between the social partners and makes recommendations for action based on them.

The proposals are structured around three topics:

• strengthening the profile of social dialogue in the EU and raising awareness of its importance; e.g. by creating a new award for innovative social dialogue and a programme for young leaders
   
• improving the European social dialogue structures and processes by reviewing the functioning of the Tripartite Social Summit or promoting national collective agreement registers
   
• supporting capacity development of national social partners, especially through targeted financial support for the national social partners, improving “best practice” exchanges through a new digital platform and broadening the dialogue to include future-oriented issues.
   

You can call up the full report from here.

The action recommendations are to be incorporated into the action plan for implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights, which, along with other major topics, will be the focus of the EU Social Summit, organised by the Portuguese Council Presidency that will be held in Porto on the 7th May 2021.