Brussels, 25/03/2004 (Agence Europe) - The Tripartite Social Summit of 25 March allowed a positive attitude to be reached by European social partner representatives on the Lisbon Strategy, which, as Professor Maria Joao Rodrigues pointed out, becomes an "export product" for Europe (Brazil but also China, for example, hope to take inspiration from this strategy). Thus, Ms Rodrigues commented, "the Lisbon Agenda helps to give another image of the European project at international level". Ms Rodrigues noted that progress with a view to achieving the Lisbon goals at national level is slower for now because "the Lisbon Agenda is an agenda of structural reforms and therefore it takes time before results can be seen on the ground. Also, reforms take even longer if they concern areas that are either rather new or, on the contrary, have roots in national traditions and in networks of specific interest".
The Tripartite Social Summit brought together under the joint chairmanship of Bertie Ahern and Romano Prodi the new Greek Commissioner for Social Affairs, Stavros Dimas, the Dutch and Luxembourg Prime Ministers, Jan-Peter Balkenende and Jean-Claude Juncker, the Employment Ministers of Ireland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, as well as high level representatives of European social partners (UNICE for the employers, UEAPME for small and medium-sized enterprise, CEEP for public enterprise and services of general interest, and ETUC for the European trade unions). The Summit, which will henceforth (since last year) be held at regular intervals to prepare the Spring European Council, provides an opportunity for the Lisbon Strategy to be examined in order to make Europe the most competitive economy worldwide.
ETUC Secretary General John Monks called on European leaders to choose the road of a "knowledge society", by making job quality a top priority. He stressed on several occasions that social partnership, social dialogue and worker participation are not only key elements in the European social model but also contribute to stimulating innovation and a reform process that takes account of the human factor. Speaking on behalf of the employers, UNICE President Jürgen Strube insisted on the importance of carrying out the necessary structural reforms, and called on the public authorities to strongly commit themselves to recovery of growth, while focusing on the recommendations of the Kok Task Force.
How can fresh impetus be given to the Lisbon Strategy, which is far from attaining the objective that it set itself, that of making the EU the most competitive economy in the world through economic growth, full employment, innovation, knowledge and social cohesion? One has to admit that such an acknowledgement leaves a bitter taste. Member States have not done enough to make up for their shortcomings. As Jürgen Strube, President of UNICE (Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations in Europe), said: "we must work harder and better to achieve these goals!". The Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment, which met on Thursday afternoon in Brussels under the joint chairmanship of Bertie Ahern and Romano Prodi (see EUROPE of 23 March, p.10), allowed European social partners to discuss economic and social reforms on the table of the Heads of State or Government for their Spring Summit on Friday, and to confirm their support for the Lisbon Strategy.
In order to give impetus to this strategy, social partners say, high levels of growth are urgently needed, as well as more and better jobs, as recommended by the Task Force on Employment chaired by Wim Kok. Social partners stressed the imperative need to strengthen links between national and European initiatives and felt that Member States must pursue their effort to establish constructive social and economic partnerships. Social partners also agree to continue reflection on the theme "Towards a European Partnership for Change" during coming summits, in order to verify how much progress has really been made to make Europe of 2010 the most competitive knowledge economy in the world. The 2005 Spring Summit comes mid way in the Lisbon Strategy and will therefore be of special importance, they insist. Furthermore, participants at the Tripartite Social Summit welcome the imminent entry of ten new Member States which, they say, have a strong potential allowing for economic growth to be stimulated and for the Lisbon Strategy to be better implemented in practice, in the interest of all Union citizens.
Joint contributions by European social partners at Spring European Summit
Aware of their responsibilities, European social partners at the Tripartite Social Summit presented two joint contributions intended for Friday's Spring Summit:
1. Framework of actions on the lifelong development of competences and qualifications - Second annual report 2004. The document testifies to the intensification of dialogue and partnership in Member States to find practical solutions to 4 priority challenges identified in the framework of actions adopted in 2002, namely: identification of competence and qualification needs; - validation of these competences; - information, support and guidance to companies and workers; - and mobilisation of resources.
The document sets out common elements resulting from the work of social partners in 2003. Thus: 1) the social partners are keen to ensure better adequacy between company and individual requirements in skills and education and training, in order to take the speed of change into account; 2) national reports illustrate the diversity of instruments used by social partners to mobilise resources in order to effectively promote investment in the development of competences throughout life. Some instruments are in place in collaboration with European or national public authorities (call for EU funding, tax incentives, etc.), while others are more specifically geared to individual investment in the development of competences (individual apprenticeship account, joint investment schemes, etc.); 3) social partners consider they have a pivotal role to play in informing, supporting and advising workers and companies (mainly SMEs) whose motivation in competence development is crucial; 4) social partners assume their responsibilities by facilitating learning in enterprise and by creating bridges between formal and informal training. As far as the content of education and training is concerned, social partners are particularly active in the conception of training modules and/or training programmes for individuals, firms and/or sectors. In this context, a key objective is to promote polyvalence, in order to strengthen the adaptability of workers to the labour market. Social partners also evoke specific activities in sectors where there is a shortage of qualified personnel, or in given categories of workers, such as executives.
On the matter of follow-up to the framework of actions in the EU15, UNICE Secretary General Philippe de Buck, speaking at the Tripartite Social Summit, cited the example of three countries representing the Troika of current and future EU Presidencies: 1) Ireland: This country has been very active in identifying and anticipating competence and qualification needs, the validation of such competence and the mobilisation of resources. According to an IBEC (Irish Business and Employers' Confederation) survey, spending on training as a percentage of payroll increased to 3.15% in 2002, compared to 3.01% in 2000; 2) The Netherlands: Lifelong learning and training, as well as employability, remained high on the agenda of the social partners. The year 2003 was difficult, marked by economic recession and a cancellation of the general fiscal instrument to support training in companies (only tax incentives relating to initial training being maintained); 3) Luxembourg: Cooperation between public authorities and social partners for adjusting structures for continuing vocational training and developing joint actions has a long tradition in Luxembourg, and a tripartite advisory committee on vocational training has been set up to advise the government. The opinions of the committee each year form the basis for the part of the national action plan for employment devoted to training. Thus, on 2 May 2003, social partners signed an agreement on individual access to continuing vocational training.
2) 2004 Annual Report on social partner initiatives in Member States for implementation of the European employment guidelines. This first report describes how social partners have been involved in the preparation of national action plans for employment 2003 within the EU15. It presents the main actions undertaken by social partners at national, local, sectoral and company level, and which contribute to the implementation of employment guidelines.
Four initiatives foreseen in the programme of European Social Dialogue 2003-2005 also contribute to implementation of the Lisbon goals, Philippe de Buck states: 1) preparation of a framework of actions on gender equality; 2) ongoing negotiations on stress at work; 3) discussions on active ageing; and 4) preparation of a joint opinion on undeclared work. (These two reports will cover the twenty-five EU members next year).