351847 | European Integration and the social
dimension: strengthening regional
cooperation of trade unions in the Balkans
Regionalna kancelarija projekta
Trg Nikole Pašića 5
11000 Beograd, Srbija
Tel: (+381 11) 333 5431/2
Fax: (+381 11) 333 5436
Emilija Grujić Mob: (+381 69) 101 1572
E-mail: emilija.grujic@onthewaytoeu.net
E-mail: goran.pavlov@onthewaytoeu.net
Web: http://www.onthewaytoeu.net
http://www.onthewaytoeu.org
http://www.naputukaeu.net
Belgrade, 1st May 2015
On the Way to the EU – Integration and Social Dimension
A collaborative project between the ETUC and the regional TU network
"Solidarnost" with the support of the EC
www.onthewaytoeu.net
Concept
Trade unions as social partners and important component of a democratic civil society must
not stand on the sidelines when it comes to the design of the road in the EU. They must and
they want to participate. It is not an exclusive concern of governments.
The participation of civil society is a key design element of the integration process. The TUs
have to take responsibility and an active role, especially when it comes t o the social
dimension of integration in the EU. They must acquire competence and cooperate with each
other.
Project Tasks & Goals
Experience transfer: Croatia and Slovenia have already accomplished the EU integration
process. The experience of unions of these countries and the sustainable expertise of the
European Trade Union Confederation, its institutions and its member organizations must be
passed on to the TUs in the project partner countries.
Networking: The project has the ambition to mobilise expe rts of the project partners around
the central issues and build up knowledge pools that would work together on sustainability of
the network(s).
The intention: to secure the necessary resources to help strengthening the capacities of
trade unions in the region, to intensify the existing trade union cooperation platform in
the region and, in-fine, to allow trade unions in the Balkans to be stronger actors in the EU
accession process.
Activities & Topics of the Working Groups
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Social dialogue and industrial relations
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Workers’ rights and labour legislation
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Trade Union reforms: statutes and internal regulations & workers representation at
company-level: Legislation and concepts
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Health and safety
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Migration
Project is supported by the European Commission.
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Environment
Statutary plenary meetings of the Regional Trade Union Network Solidarnost: a
coooperation platform of ETUC affiliates (10 TUs) from SLO, CRO, SRB, MNE, MK, BH (both
entities); KO BSPK is also taking part
Steering committee meetings
Project Method
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regular meetings of the working expert groups
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ongoing communication and visibility by usage of IT
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publication of findings and analysis on the project's website www.onthewaytoeu.net
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counseling and preparation of policy papers
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building up of continuous communication channels with the delegations of the
European Commission in the reference and beneficiaries countries
Work programme
An online platform will be set-up for this joint Trade Union Network for EU integration, and could be
composed of both:
-
a website (open and accessible to the public): offering links and documents (project reports,
information sheets) to relevant stakeholders inside and outside the trade union movement, and
-
a dynamic / interactive forum (restricted access to the members): providing different spaces for
the members of the different thematic networks / working groups, to facilitate communication,
exchange of views and document sharing, among them.
Perspectives
The first phase of the project will end on 31 Dec 2015 with an option of extension, depending on the
qualitative evaluation of the first year of the project.
ETUC acts as the “incubator” (managing the funding contract during the 1st year), but then the Regional
Trade Union Network will need to register formally to become the direct beneficiary of the operative grant
from 2016 until 2018, so that it runs its operations “autonomously” in the years to come with the active
support of the ETUC.
Project is supported by the European Commission.