Rome, October 21 st - 22 nd
SEMINAR Report
On 21 st and 22 nd October, Rome hosted the first Futurisme II workshop, whose goal consisted in delving deeper into topics holding a special meaning for the future of the European Social Dialogue. The topics chosen, marked by a highly innovative content, are increasingly debated on the occasion of the meetings, both formal and informal, held by the Italian Social Partners.
The seminar foresaw three session which, after being introduced by a scientific case study, gave rise to exchanges between the representatives of entrepreneurial associations, trade unions, experts, and saw the involvement also of members of the audience, i.e. representatives of the three Italian confederations, of both national and local level, namely Confartigianato, CNA and Confapi (the three organisers), UEAPME, and the Avignon Academy.
During the first session, Mr Lucio Poma provided stimuli and provocations on the current new situation, whereby systems (and no longer individual firms) deal with globalisation by resorting to the new technologies. His message may be summarised in the following points:
The new technologies are disruptive, and cannot function if they are merely used to improve production and reduce costs; on the contrary, they prove decisive if they are introduced into corporate organisation by changing also the firm’s external relations;
The role played by associations is essential to transmit this message, and to assist firms in the “micro/local-macro/multinational” polarisation process.
Competition has evolved, and does no longer take place between firms or districts, but between local and sector systems.
These important provocations were expanded on by enterprise representatives
(CNA), who explained how the new contract model currently being studied has the purpose of taking these changes into account, and is human-resource, and local-area oriented. The UIL representative then introduced and described the
Bilateral Body tool as an important political tool making the aggregation of needs, and the coordination of lines of action at all levels possible. The British expert
(FPB) finally described the astonishing similarities existing between his country and Italy, however stressing the fact that in the UK a totally different and informal

social partnership model exists. The audience, particularly the representatives of
Confartigianato and the Avignon Academy, stressed the role played by Bilateral
Bodies, however focusing on different aspects, namely their operation and coordination roles, rather than on the political one.
The second session started with the technical presentation made by Mr. Saul
Meghnagi, also in his position as CGIL representative. He attempted to define the training scenario in Italy, and the way in which it is adapting to the changes occurring in the Social Dialogue. In particular, by referring to what had been said by Mr Poma the day before, i.e. that it is the market that determines production, and no longer the reverse, Mr. Meghnagi confirmed that in the past few years the same has occurred in the field of training. In Italy too study centres analysing labour market trends have been established, with the aim of providing training bodies with information on real market needs. In particular, Mr. Meghnagi recalled the difficulties encountered in the past few years in providing direction to training, especially in the craft sector, where professional profiles are highly specialised and multifaceted. The positive side of the coin, however, in the craft sector, consists in the fact that in the past few years the sub-contract phenomenon has reversed, and currently there are may small enterprises assembling the parts manufactured by large enterprises, with the result that today the craft sector is increasingly interdependent, and therefore provides and requires more specific professional profiles.
These interesting stimuli were expanded on by the Confartigianato experts who stressed that not always do the new technologies prove disruptive; this is especially true in the manufacturing sector. On the contrary, in the service sector, the introduction of the NICTs has often proved “creative”, precisely as strictly linked to the firm’s production, the latter not necessarily being hypertechnological. Our battle consists in encouraging training bodies to train more specialised professional profiles, with stronger IT and transversal skills.
The workshop was also attended by an ISFOL expert, who, sharing the ideas illustrated by our representatives, stressed again how important is that training is provided to all enterprise workers, in order to prevent, especially as far as microenterprises are concerned, the problems highlighted by a recent study conducted by ISFOL-CUOA from emerging.
The session was concluded by Mr Hans Werner Muller, UEAPME Secretary
General, who, although sharing what had been said in the previous presentations, stressed once more a fundamental concept, i.e. that the European
Social Dialogue is a legally defined topic, and therefore best practices, such as those adopted in Italy, must make the object of social agreements, and therefore directives, before the Commission deals with them autonomously. In addition, it should be recalled that NICTs entail greater capitals, and that currently in
Europe, or in Germany, no optimal system whereby training, credit, and NICTs cooperate in the best possible way exists. He then proposed that an in-depth

research study is started at European level focusing on needs, in order to encourage national associations to become technical intermediaries; in summary a) capitals are needed, b) who is going to provide funding (training and startup)?, c) who should use the capitals and how? The activity proposed by Mr H.W.
Muller is two-way: e.g. the Social Dialogue must foster the discussion of these topics, but, at the same time, topics such as tele-working must widen the Social
Dialogue, given that the importance of SMEs is an accepted fact. The
Commission forces us to make a choice: either you act or I do; therefore, we must propose issues enabling us to increasingly give, yielding increasingly less.
From the audience, the Confartigianato representatives answered that currently
National Bilateral Bodies manage “training for companies” funding, and not simply the European Social Fund. Hence, they ought to have the means to implement the interesting proposals launched by Mr. Muller.
UEAPME, through its Project Leader Mr. Huemer, stressed once more that the tools existing at European level are acceptable at theoretical level, however procedures should be improved. As far as capitals are concerned, in terms of subsidies, small enterprises receive less than others. Then, why not think of general tax abatements aimed at informal training, that would finally be validated and considered as de facto training?
Confartigianato proposed Mr. Huemer to consider this topic as a proposal for a social agreement.
The third session planned to address a topic only indirectly considered by the social dialogue: the commercial positioning strategies adopted by small enterprises in order to protect themselves from the supremacy of big brands
(logo/no logo).
Mr Barberis, an expert in rural sociology, was entrusted with the task of launching some provocations. He expanded on the commercial strategies of niche food products. Starting from the concept that food products allows consumers to “eat history”, and “eat territory”, by means of a number of enlightening examples, from
Mistrà delle Marche Greek anise, to the 2200 years’ old Fiore Sardo, passing through the Saracen features of Monte S. Biagio sausages, he explained that globalisation is nothing new, and already the ancient Romans imposed one no less crushing. However, just as it was the case then
– said Mr. Barberis – globalisation contains its own antibodies. This is due to the fact that the enlargement of the global market tends to lower, or, at any rate not to increase, the quality of products; hence, top-quality niche products, as long as they remain niche products (as such linked to the territory and its traditions) will always have a market of their own, even though they embody the opposite of the market.
Paradoxically, in some instances (think of the example of the Olive Oil of
Brisighella), a product is sold as long as its price is high: the most expensive

bottles are hard to come by, while lower quality oil, still of a quality far exceeding that of commercial oil, is easier to find.
Therefore, typical products, whether they be food, art, ceramic products, etc. have upset the market strategies that globalisation tries to impose. We can state that the battle has been won, because competition still exists, albeit between typical products.
Mr. Barberis views were echoed by those of the Confartigianato expert who illustrated the paradoxes of globalisation. The latter tends to maximise productivity, by decontextualising a product. The local product makes prices rise, as production becomes typical. An interesting typically Italian phenomenon is that of a number of small enterprises who have improved their positioning, that is, although they sell a “globalised” product, they manage to endow it with a flavour of local typicality, such as Nutella, Ferrari, Gucci, etc.. In this dipole the aspect that must be considered by the social dialogue comes into play, i.e. the promotion of agreements capable of protecting and promoting the development of companies that consume little, are not polluting, and are socially responsible; in other words- small enterprises.
Subsequent presentations were delivered by the CISL representative, who focused on the issue of globalisation as typical of every sector, and on how every one of them needs its own strategy. However, he also shared the new “small is beautiful” approach, based on concepts such as the preservation of the territory, both from a historical and environmental viewpoint.
The session was closed by UEAPME’s Company Policy Director, Mr. Luc
Hendrickx, who focused on the topic of the social responsibility of companies, and demonstrated, by resorting to the European example, how a stronger relationship between employers and workers inside small enterprises may foster socially responsible behaviours, and how this may become a strong point in the marketing strategies adopted by small enterprises.
A final debate was then started, during which the Avignon Academy focused on the risk of disruption represented by globalisation, and on how the Social
Dialogue, thanks to the Italian experience made in this context focusing on the territory, may come to represent a good defence tool. The debate was closed by
Mr. Barberis, who stressed too the important role played by associations as the cultural mediators of these defence tools, not just in the field of food products.

Conclusion
Summarising, the seminar allowed the possibility to further examine the role played by Italian Bilateral Bodies. In particular emerges:
1. the importance of the Bilateral Bodies in assisting enterprises and their representatives to face new competition between territorial systems and introduce new technology into small companies as part of their resources.
2. their capacity to support thematic development and instruments of Social
Dialogue, particularly in the training sector.
The part of the seminar regarding the strategy of enterprises within the context of globalisation, also confirmed the bodies central role, which thanks to its constructive dialogue within the “territorial systems”, also gives a place for meetings for the social parts that are closer to the specific needs of small enterprises.
It is also necessary to underline the need for the Italian Confederations
(especially Confartigianato and Cna) to continue working together on the themes connected to Social Dialogue also in a European context. It has been noted that the joint introduction of experiences and requests from the two Confederations determines a growing interest from the EC institutions in terms of listening and understanding the indications by them expressed.
For this reason a particular thanks goes to UEAPME which, through the projects
Futurisme I and II has eased the cooperation process at a European level for the representative organisations Confartigianato, CNA, Confapi and Confesercenti.