European social partner

In today’s fast evolving world of work, employer-worker relations are rapidly changing. Companies face diverse needs, while workers’ aspirations evolve continuously. Adaptability is an important feature of modern employment, and social partners play a key role in reconciling the diverse needs and expectations of companies and workers. However, they can only play this role if public authorities give a necessary space to a sound social partnership that can address the economic and social challenges at the appropriate level and respect social partner autonomy.

What are the Social Partners?

Social Partners are organisations mandated to defend the interests of employers and workers, engaging in a bilateral social dialogue on the one hand and tripartite concertation with public authorities on the other hand, on employment and social policy issues. At the European level, the term ‘European Social Partners’ refers specifically to representative organisations involved in EU-level social dialogue committees.

Their primary role is to provide policy input, contribute to finding solutions to labour market challenges facing companies and workers, and negotiate agreements as outlined in Articles 154 and 155 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). The leading cross-industry European social partner organisations are:

    • BusinessEurope – representing private-sector employers and companies of all sizes from all sectors
    • SGI Europe – representing employers and enterprises providing public services and services of general interest
    • SMEunited – representing crafts and small & medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe
    • ETUC – the European Trade Union Confederation, representing all workers at the European level.

      Why social dialogue matters for businesses

      Active participation in social dialogue is essential for businesses, as it directly influences the labour market policies that shape their operational environment, workforce management, and thus their competitiveness. Through engagement with their social partners on the workers side, employers can help to devise mutually beneficial solutions to labour market challenges and ensure that social policy is employment-friendly and supports job creation and economic growth. 

      Social partners can also directly create measures balancing employers and workers needs by entering into collective bargaining at the appropriate levels in accordance with diverse national industrial relations practices. At the European level, they can also negotiate agreements substituting EU legislation devised by the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. These agreements can then be implemented by EU legislation, which usually leads to balanced and easier to comply with regulatory requirements.

      As the leading voice of employers in the European Social Dialogue, BusinessEurope ensures that business interests are well-represented in discussions on employment and social policies.