Kick-off meeting of the project on Industrial
Relations in the Commerce sector EBT Perugia
Capacity building, EU-Funded Project
management and the European Social Dialogue
for Commerce
Ilaria Savoini
Perugia, 16 February 2012
Short Presentation of EuroCommerce
• EuroCommerce was founded in 1993: it is the
organisation representing the interest of retail, wholesale
and international trade vis-à-vis the European
Institutions
• EuroCommerce has more than 100 members, including:
–
–
–
–
Commerce association in 31 countries
Companies/groups of companies
Sub-sectoral national and European organisations
EuroCommerce is the recognised social partner for
sectoral social dialogue at EU level representing the
employers
2
The implementation of the sectoral social
dialogue for commerce
• Social dialogue for commerce has already started
informally in 1983
• Mutual recognition of EuroCommerce and UNI Europa
Commerce (trade union)as social partners in 1993
• Commission Decision on sectoral social dialogue
Committees of the 20/05/1998 and impact on SSDC for
commerce:
– joint request of the commerce SP to establish a
sectoral social dialogue Committee further to the
publication of the Commission’s Decision the
10/09/1998;
– The SSDC Committee for commerce was established
the 30/11/1998
3
Work programme of the social partners for
2012 -2013
• The 28.11.2011 the social partners approved a new work
programme for 2012-2013. The issues dealt with will be:
– Adaptation to change, vocational training and skill needs
(main issue: sector skills council project);
– EU Employment strategy and the commerce sector (main
issue: contribute to build a better and more inclusive labour
market)
– Joint follow-up of EU policies with a social impact on
commerce (e.g. retail action plan, social aspects of the
single market act, exchange of views on the WTD…)
– Health, safety and well-being at work: ( e.g.third-party
violence, stress, psycho-social risks…)
– Improving the effectiveness of social dialogue : (capacity
building for NMS, joint follow-up of our common outcomes)
4
Capacity building activities
• Since the beginning of their social dialogue, the social
partners for commerce have organised so-called
« capacity building activities »
– Main objective: help their members first in accession
countries, then in the new member states and
candidate countries:
• To improve/develop social dialogue at national
level
• To understand and facilitate the implementation of
the EU social acquis in their countries
• To improve the participation of the representative
of these countries to the EU Social Dialogue
5
Capacity building: some practical examples
• National workshops on social dialogue and internal market
organised with the financial support of the Commission (TAIEX)
in all candidate countries between 1998 and 2005
• From 2007 to 2009, we organised three workshops funded by
DG EMPL (social dialogue) to exchange views between national
and EU SD in:
– Croatia
– Turkey
– Romania
• In 2011, EuroCommerce and UNI Europa organised separate
trainings in cooperation with the training centre of the ILO,
followed by a joint workshop.
• EuroCommerce provides advice and expertise to their members
on applying for and using EU funding for various kind of
projects
6
The use of EU funding for projects: some
good practices (1)
• The main budget heading used by the social partners is the one
called « Industrial relations and social dialogue » of DG EMPL
• The most of social dialogue committees have their meetings
organised by the commission BUT
• EuroCommerce and UNI Europa ask funding to the Commission
to organise THEMSELVES their meetings! Positive points:
– More autonomy of the social partners
– More flexibility for dates, locations, etc.
– Possibility to have also funds for connected activities such
as publications, websites, translations…
– The social partners require funds for their social dialogue on
a rotational and annual basis (i.e. this year EuroCommerce,
next year UNI Europa)
7
Other examples of projects implemented
with EU financial support
• 2 projects aimed to address work related third-party violence
(same budget heading):
– A sectoral project in 2009 – main outcome: toolkit, see:
http://www.eurocommerce.be/media/docs/Public/Manifesto
s/ec-jointhandbook_finalcorrected.pdf
– A multi-sectoral project on the same issue in 2011: see
http://www.eurocommerce.be/content.aspx?PageId=41864
• 2 Projects on the anticipation of skill needs to address the
mismatch between the need of companies and the skills of
employees:
– A first one implemented by EuroCommerce in cooperation
with UNI Europa (PROGRESS budget heading), see
http://www.eurocommerce.be/content.aspx?PageId=41945
– A second one, implemented by UNI Europa in cooperation
with EuroCommerce aimed to establish a Sector Skills
Council for commerce has just started
8
As a conclusion….
• The implementation of joint projects at EU level is a very
important activity in the framework of the EU social dialogue
• Good cooperation and rotation in the leadership of the projects
(then undertaking all the financial and administrative tasks) is
essential to achieve good results
• A permanent contact between the partners is essential for the
success of the projects
• Projects successfully implemented = gain the confidence of the
Commission and be easily elegible for future projects!
• Commission has just started to share good practices on project
management (late is better than never )
• Important to be accurate in the reporting (Commission rules
are very strict!)
9
Thank you for your attention!
Need more information?
www.eurocommerce.be
savoini@eurocommerce.be