23/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 23 July, the European Commission published a working document on “sectoral social dialogue” - dialogue among trade unions and employers in specific industries and areas of the economy - (SEC (2010) 964). The document aims to draw up a balance sheet of results already obtained at EU level and the functioning of sector-specific dialogue committees. The Commission's document highlights the changing nature, tangible impact and possible improvements in the work of the said committees and looks at how their field of application can be extended and the consultation and negotiation processes improved. A Commission press release points out that the Commission has set up 40 European sectoral social dialogue committees since 1998 covering some 145 million workers across the EU and areas ranging from energy, transport, farming, construction, trade, fisheries, public services and metallurgy to ship-building and education. Info: http: //ec.europa.eu/socialdialogue (G.B./transl.fl)