Industrial Relations in Europe 2012 - European Commission - Europa

working on a feasibility study to set up EU Sector skills Council for Construction (2011-2012)
under the Progress programme.
In agriculture, the social partners continue to develop and implement a passport for skills called
Agripass. 102 The Employer's Group of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the European
Union (Geopa-Copa) is running a project on vocational training of agricultural workers aimed at
developing skills necessary to facilitate the mobility of workers. The European Federation of Trade
Unions in the Food, Agriculture and Tourism (EFFAT) is developing a project on quality
employment in a sustainable agriculture. Social partners are currently running a joint project on the
impact of the future common agriculture policy on employment in the sector of agriculture.
The social partners in the personal services/hairdressing sector are continuing with the
implementation of their 2009 autonomous agreement establishing European hairdressing
certificates. The social partners have clarified the administrative aspects and are ready to award the
first European hairdressing certificates in the near future to hairdressers fulfilling the qualification
requirements.
The social partners in the hotel and restaurant (HORECA) sector (EFFAT and the Confederation
of National Associations of Hotels, Restaurants, Cafés and Similar Establishments in the European
Union and European Economic Areas, HOTREC), are running a project on the implementation of
the European Qualification and Skills Passport, which will be integrated into EURES. Further, the
HORECA sector is in the preparatory phase of the possible setting up of an employment and skills
council. It is also involved in the ESCO initiative, with the establishment of a reference group.
Box 7.6 Financial support: the social dialogue and industrial relations budget lines
The European Commission’s promotion of European social dialogue includes financial support,
mainly in the form of grants to social partners and other industrial relations stakeholders. On the
basis of Article 154 TFEU, the most important financial programmes are the three headings in the
EU budget earmarked for: industrial relations and social dialogue; information and training
measures for workers' organisations; and the information, consultation and participation of
representatives of undertakings. Further details on these funding opportunities can be found on the
following website: http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=86&langId=en.
Industrial relations and social dialogue
This budget heading supports the European social partners and other organisations active in the
field of industrial relations in contributing to addressing the overarching EU employment and social
policy challenges as laid down in the Europe 2020 strategy and in connection with EU initiatives to
address the consequences of the economic crisis.
Each year, through a call for proposals with two application deadlines, the Commission supports
around 80 projects led by the social partners and other organisations active in the field of industrial
relations. These projects cover activities linked to the work programmes of the European cross-
102 http://www.adam-europe.eu/adam/project/view.htm?prj=3858
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