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Council for Economic and Social Partnership of the Slovak Republic
Practical information | About | Mission | Membership | Organisation | Working Methods
Practical information
President : Monika Uhlerová
+421 2 5443 38 46
Secretary-General : Martina Širhalová
+421 2 5443 38 46
Panenská 29 – 811 03 Bratislava
Tel + 421 903 836 796
About
The Council for Economic and Social Partnership of the Slovak Republic is a consultative body at the national level that provides a forum for mutual consultations with a view to reach agreements in specified areas, or at least to bring closer the positions of the social partners.
Mission
The tasks of the council are to
- consider fundamental issues of economic and social development,
- consider the draft state budget,
- consider proposals of labour legislation,
- prepare recommendations concerning legislative projects of the government, and
- create working groups
Membership
The Council is tripartite: its members represent the state, employers and employees. The representatives of the state are appointed by the government. The representatives of the employers are appointed by representative associations of employers. The representatives of the employees are appointed by the representative associations of trade unions.
There is one member for 100.000 people to be represented, be it employers or employees. In case the numbers do not match, the social partners shall reach an agreement about the number of members they will appoint, given that the number of members appointed by the employers and the employees must be equal..
Organisation
The main organs of the Council are the Presidium and the Council Sessions.
The Presidium consists of - the Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson appointed by the Government, - the Deputy Chairperson and a member appointed by the employers’ representatives, - the Deputy Chairperson and a member appointed by the employees’ representatives.
The Government shall appoint the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Economy of the Slovak Republic as Chairperson, and the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family as Deputy Chairperson. It is the duty of the Chairperson to manage the activities of the Council and to inform the Government about the conclusions of the Council. The Chairperson also convenes the Council sessions and determines their time, place and agenda.
The Presidium discusses the issues of principle connected with the preparation of Council sessions and proposes a programme therefore; furthermore it deals with the conclusions of the Council sessions and it might be empowered by the later to fulfil further duties. Finally the Presidium convenes extraordinary sessions of the Council.
The Council Session elaborates the agreements and conclusions that deal with the matters specified under point "mission".
The Ministers and state secretaries have the duty to submit documents for the Council deliberations. The Council Secretariat carries out organisation and administration. The expenditures for the Council and its secretariat are covered by the budget of the Government Office; the respective social partners cover the expenditures incurred by the members.
Working Methods
The Council session meets monthly and has the capacity to deliberate and the quorum to make decisions when a majority of the Council member representing the employers and the employees are present. Council members cannot be substituted, and they have a duty to attend the meetings.
The members have the right to submit proposals, information and other documents for Council sessions, to present their comments concerning documents under discussion, and to take a vote on relevant conclusions. Council members may also invite experts on individual items of the Council session’s agenda.
When the social partners reach a consensus, it should be represented in its conclusion. In case there are diverging opinions, the opinion of each social partner shall be attached to the conclusions from the Council session. These conclusions represent recommendations for the Government, to which they are submitted by the Chairperson.