The European social partners officially presented their new joint work programme for the period 2022-24. Commenting during the launch event, which took place in the company of  Commission Executive Vice-President Dombrovskis, Director General Markus Beyrer said: "we saw during the peak of COVID the crucial role that social dialogue played in many Member States in helping to shape solutions to the numerous labour market challenges that arose. As we will enter the negotiations on an agreement on telework and the right to disconnect this autumn, we will do so with the knowledge that social partners and social dialogue have a fundamental role to play in making our labour markets more productive, competitive and resilient as we seek to mobilise the economic recovery from COVID against the backdrop of a challenging geopolitical, economic and social context. We also start this process with the commitment to work towards an agreement that will be to the mutual benefit of employers and workers in these times of rapid labour market change." - Read more

The upcoming social dialogue initiative of the European Commission is an important opportunity to take stock of the progress made and initiate new actions to further develop social dialogue at EU and national levels. Building upon the 2016 quadri-partite statement on “a new start for social dialogue”, this initiative should strengthen tripartism at EU and national level to improve the performance of labour markets and social systems. One clear area where progress is needed is to ensure that all Member States create an appropriate space for social dialogue and collective bargaining, respecting the fact that there is no EU blueprint for social dialogue, while making good use of the mutual learning potential of regular EU exchanges for different Member States. The Commission and the Member States should also step up their actions to support the capacity of social partners in the more than ten EU Member States where this is needed. These were the key messages by Director General Markus J. Beyrer during an exchange of views on the EU social dialogue initiative with Commissioner Schmit and the other EU cross-industry social partners.