EUR/004 - Action for stability, growth and jobs

The EESC welcomes the Commission's decision to involve the social partners and social organisations, at least in the three specific areas.

This opinion focuses in particular on the common responsibility of social partners and organised civil society, and on the contribution that they, and in particular employers and workers, can provide. It highlights the role they can play in formulating and applying policies to relaunch economic growth, create more and better jobs and restore financial stability.

The Committee emphasises that:

• Structural changes to social and economic policy may change existing and future job opportunities between various groups and very often have an important impact on the distribution of incomes.
• Social and civil dialogue improve the credibility and social acceptability of intended social and economic measures.
• Participation is also important in order to keep a close eye on the policy that is actually implemented and its results, allowing civil society organisations and social partners to make evaluations and give timely warnings wherever appropriate.
• In many cases, it is also social organisations, particularly the social partners, which have to translate policy proposals into practice.

The Committee therefore calls on European policy makers to embed social dialogue and participation in the structure of the various policy processes that form part of the Europe 2020 process.