Considerations on COM(2013)740 - Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment - Main contents

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dossier	COM(2013)740 - Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment.
document	COM(2013)740
date	October 13, 2016

table>(1)Article 3(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) provides that one of the objectives of the Union is to work for a highly competitive social market economy, aiming at full employment and social progress.

(2)

In defining and implementing its policies and activities, the Union is to take into account their social dimension, in particular the requirements linked to the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, the fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health, in accordance with Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

(3)

The Union recognises and promotes the role of the social partners at its level and facilitates dialogue between them while respecting their autonomy, in accordance with Article 152 TFEU. To promote a high-level concertation with the European social partners on the overall strategy set up by the Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000, Council Decision 2003/174/EC (1) established a Tripartite Social Summit for Growth and Employment (‘the Summit’). The Summit is now recognised in Article 152 TFEU as an integral component of social dialogue at Union level.

(4)

The Union and its Member States are committed to cooperating within the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy, an integrated strategy designed to boost the Union's potential for growth and jobs over the period 2010-2020 (‘the Europe 2020 strategy’). The Europe 2020 strategy aims to increase coordination between national and Union policies. In addition, the Union has recognised the need to enhance the social partners' ownership of and involvement in that strategy, to enable the social partners to actively contribute to the implementation of that strategy's objectives.

(5)

Regulation (EU) No 1175/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) underlines that social partners shall be involved within the framework of the European Semester, on the main policy issues where appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the TFEU and national legal and political arrangements.

(6)

In its conclusions of 28 June 2013, the European Council noted that the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union should be strengthened, and highlighted in this context the key role of the social partners and social dialogue. Accordingly, the Commission in its Communication of 2 October 2013 entitled ‘Strengthening the social dimension of the Economic and Monetary Union’, addressed the issue of the promotion of social dialogue at national and Union level, and announced a proposal to review Decision 2003/174/EC, referring to the Summit as an opportunity to involve the social partners in the European Semester process.

(7)

Since its establishment pursuant to Decision 2003/174/EC, the Summit has fulfilled its key role to enable high-level concertation. It has contributed positively to the development of social dialogue at Union level under the Lisbon Strategy over the period 2000-2010, and under the Europe 2020 strategy.

(8)

In their joint Declaration on Social Partner Involvement in European Economic Governance of 24 October 2013, signed by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) on the workers' side, and by the Confederation of European Business (BUSINESSEUROPE), the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises providing Public services (CEEP) and the European Association of Craft, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (UEAPME) on the employers' side, the European social partners called for a coherent process of consultation of the social partners in the context of the European Semester, and confirmed their support for the Summit.

(9)	The tasks and the membership of the Summit should be adapted in order to take into account the institutional changes introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon, in particular the creation of the function of President of the European Council, as laid down in Article 15 TEU.

(10)	This Decision is without prejudice to the organisation and operation of the national systems of industrial relations and social dialogue.

(11)	The TFEU does not provide, for the adoption of this Decision, powers other than those under Article 352 TFEU.

(12)	Decision 2003/174/EC should therefore be repealed,