ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCILS IN EUROPE

Attention: open in a new window. PDFPrintE-mail

In most European countries, social dialogue is a process that has no other alternative. By definition, scope of work of the ESC is identical to the social dialogue itself:

  • Communication between government, unions and employers,
  • Regular exchange of views with the objective of finding compromises,
  • tripartite decision-making,
  • Political decisions
  • achieving social peace,
  • participation and opinions about laws.


The primary principle of ESS is a consensus, different from other ways of deciding which are characterized by outvoting.

In European Union Economic - Social Committee is acting since 1957. There are 222 members, appointed by the EU Council, on proposal of the governments of member states. At the national level social dialogue is a constitutional category, and goes through the economic and social councils. In developed European countries, these advices have an important role, while the same is expected of new members from the Eastern part of the continent, as well as from countries who seek to join the European company. The names of the institutions vary, there are large differences according to the composition. In some countries they include independent experts, in others the government has less of a role or not participate, but the essence is the same everywhere.

SERBIA: Union of independent trade unions of Serbia was not generally satisfied with the functioning of ESC. Thus, in one moment the Trade Union decided not to participate in the meetings of the ESC, because the government showed no interest in the social dialogue. Serbian trade union also demanded in the work of the institution and the signing of the General Collective Agreement, to attend Prime Minister and President of the country. The conditions are quite similar to Macedonia and Serbia as well will have to do something more with the approach to the Union.

CROATIA: Social dialogue function is performed by two bodies, Economic and social Assembly and Office for social partnership. ESA was founded in 2001, it is composed of 18 members, six representatives of trade unions (of six representative trade unions), the Croatian Association of Employers and representatives of the Government.

Government of Croatia set up an Office  for social partnership in support of the ESA. The office works for the government and make studies of social conditions, as the situation of women, rights of the unemployed,  privatization, policy of the labor market etc.

BULGARIA: Economic and Social Council of Bulgaria was established in 2003. Before that there was a National Council for Tripartite Cooperation. The task of the council is to facilitate social dialogue on different social structures. It has 36 members, divided into three groups, with 12 representatives from trade unions, employers, while the third party is not the government, but associations for farmers, consumers, organizations for women's equality, environmental organizations and other civic organizations.

ROMANIA: The Economic and Social Council was established in 1997, whose purpose is advisory role in economic and social policy. It has a mediator role in the conflicts between social partners and promote social dialogue. The Council has 27 members, nine of which are representatives of national trade union federations, nine representatives of employers and nine representatives of the Government. On the recommendation of the European Union a Joint Consultative Committee of Romania is set up, for cooperation of the Economic and Social Council with the European Economic Council.

DENMARK: Danish Economic Council was established in 1962. There are 29 members representing unions, employers, government, the Central Bank and independent experts. The Council is chaired by three independent presidents. The Council meets twice a year, for economic analysis, economic policy and government estimates for the next two to three years. Some of the topics in recent years were public transfers and the welfare state, competition policy, education, labor market, tax system etc.

IRELAND
: National Economic and Social Council is one of the organizations having credit for the Irish economic miracle. The Council was established in 1973 and has 30 members: five from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, five of the agricultural and farming organizations, five of the organization of employers, five of the municipalities, NGOs and voluntary organizations. The government has 10 representatives, including the secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Entrepreneurship, Trade and Employment, Public enterprises and Family issues, and representatives of local authorities. The task of the Council is to develop a framework for negotiations on social issues and to report to Prime Minister on strategic issues surrounding the economy and social justice.

ITALY: National Council for Economy and Labour was established in 1957. The Council is established as a consultative body of the Parliament and the Government for discussion on economic and social issues. The institution has the right to initiate legislation on the economy and labor and participate in their preparation. The role has been extended by maintaining a Forum for negotiation of the social partners.

Council is being elected every five years, and is composed of counselors, of which 44 are representatives of trade unions, 18 are independent contractors, 37 are representatives of industry and public enterprises, 11 are representatives of social services and voluntary organizations and 12 independent economic experts , of the law area and social issues.

MALTA: The Council for Economic and Social Development was established in 2001.There are 14 members, four representatives appointed by the national labor organizations, five representatives of employers and five representatives of the Government (Minister of Finance, Minister for Family and Social Solidarity, the Minister for Health, a representative of the Department for Economic Policy and the Governor the Central Bank). The head of the Council's is the president, who is always an expert in the field of economics and labor relations. The Council has three Committees and Standing Committee of civil society, whose work occasionally involves other organizations such as youth organizations and consumers.

PORTUGAL
: Economic and Social Council founded in 1991 and tasked to provide opinions and proposals for economic and social policy, taking positions and to facilitate social dialogue. There are eight members of labor organizations, employers and government, but also members and representatives of other institutions. After the Assembly, the president and the board, quite a significant body is the Standing Committee on Social Dialogue, whose activities have contributed to the signing of numerous bipartite and tripartite agreements. The subject of these agreements over time expanded the basic issues of wages and working conditions, to matters of employment policy and improvement and modernization of the system of social protection.

FRANCE
: The Economic and Social Council is a body established in 1958, while the first tripartite body, the National Economic Council, was established in 1925. The council has 231 members, of whom 163 are directly appointed by several organizations - unions, private entrepreneurs, industry associations, organizations of trade, handicrafts, agriculture. Threre are 68 representatives of the Government, 17 of the state companies, public groups and expatriates, nine are from the overseas territories, two of the residential construction and banks, and  40 and independent experts.

NETHERLANDS
: Social and Economic Council, established in 1950, has 33 members, with 11 trade unions, employers and independent experts, mostly university professors.Experts are bing appointed by the Crown and they are not members of the government. Dutch Council is financed from resources of the economy, and its tasks are to provide advice to government, to support the laws, to supervise the association in the economy and to promote cooperation between the organizations.

ILO Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities - EU FRIEDRICH EBERT STIFTUNG Организацијa на работодавачи на Македонија etuc