CROSS-BORDER SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND AGREEMENTS: An ...

Chapter 9
A report on the European
Commission initiative
for a European framework for
transnational collective bargaining
Dominique Bé 1
Introduction
he present chapter depicts the rationale of the European Com-
initiative in the area of transnational social dialogue at
Tmission’s
company level, as well as the views and initial reactions of the European
social partners. The first section places the Commission’s initiative in the
context of the European social dialogue, and explains the reasons that
may have led to this initiative. The second section focuses on the major
outcomes of transnational collective bargaining taking place at enterprise
level in the European context, while the third explains the approach taken
by the Commission in this area as well as its first actions. The fourth section
deconstructs the Commission’s initiative by offering an account of
the outcomes of the consultations organized by the Commission aimed
at generating a consensus among European social partners on the shape
that the Commission initiative should have. The penultimate section
offers a brief overview of the stance of European social partners, notably
BusinessEurope (formerly UNICE) and the European Trade Union
Confederation (ETUC). The final section lays out the next steps that the
1
Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, European Commission.
This paper reflects solely his personal views and may not in any circumstances be regarded as stating an official
position of the European Commission.
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