Ilaria Savoini Perugia, 16 February 2012

1. Kick-off meeting of the project on Industrial Relations in the Commerce sector EBT PerugiaCapacity building, EU-Funded Project management and the European Social Dialogue for Commerce Ilaria Savoini Perugia, 16 February 2012

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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/Manifestos/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

9. 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!)

10. Thank you for your attention! Need more information? www.eurocommerce.be savoini@eurocommerce.be