Joint pact to promote social dialogue.

On 5 March, the European Commission and the social partners signed a new European Social Dialogue Pact to reinforce the importance and role of the social partners in shaping labour market, employment and social policy. The new pact is based on the "Tripartite Declaration for a Dynamic European Social Dialogue" of 31 January 2024. This was signed by the European Commission, the then Belgian Council Presidency and the European social partners at the Social Summit in Val Duchesse.

Impor­tance of social dialogue

Social dialogue is a fundamental element of the European social model and plays a key role in the competitiveness and increased productivity of European companies, the creation of quality jobs and the guarantee of social justice. Particularly in times of change, social dialogue is an important tool for ensuring the well-being of competitive companies and their employees and placing them at the centre of political negotiation. The pact is not an end result as such, but represents efforts to promote social dialogue at all levels.

Content of the new social dialogue pact

The new pact addresses the most important challenges facing European economies and labour markets, such as long-term competitiveness, digital transition and the creation of quality jobs. To this end, a long-term framework with specific measures was defined to strengthen social dialogue. These measures are to be implemented by the social partners and the European Commission.

Specific measures taken by the Euro­pean Commis­sion

The European Commission commits to intensify coordination with the social partners and to promote social dialogue at all levels through political, financial and administrative measures. The European Commission will also appoint a European social dialogue representative and create a roadmap for quality jobs together with the social partners.

Specific measures taken by the social part­ners

In order to overcome the economic and social challenges and develop suitable measures for these problems, the social partners have committed to regularly drawing up a multi-year work programme at European level across all sectors. In addition, the social partners will establish joint procedures to improve their autonomous bilateral social dialogue, including the negotiation of agreements between the social partners.