Post-crisis social dialogue: good practices in the EU-28

On 20 May 2016 at the Palais du Luxembourg in Paris, the Governance and Tripartism Department of the International Labour Office (ILO, Geneva), in cooperation with the ILO's International Training Centre (ITC) held a conference on Post-crisis social dialogue: good practices in the EU-28, as part of the project "Post-crisis social dialogue: best and innovative practices in the EU-28". The conference brought together representatives of governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, and international experts such as Gérard Larcher, president of the French Senate and Myriam El Khomri, the French Minister for Labour, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue.

The president of the European Economic and Social Committee addressed the participants in his opening speech where he stressed the importance of tripartite social dialogue. Having taken active part for many years in the workings of the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards at the head of the workers' delegation for Greece, Georges Dassis mentioned that "successful social dialogue structures and processes have the potential to resolve economic and social issues, deal with economic crises effectively and boost economic and social progress. Successful social dialogue has a direct impact on social cohesion and stability helping the effective governance of the labour market and the economy as a whole."

Finally, Mr Dassis closed his speech by mentioning that the European Economic and Social Committee promotes participatory democracy in the EU and contributes to strengthening the role of civil society organisations, enabling "structured dialogue" with socio-occupational interest groups and others in the EU Member States and third countries.