New Structures, Forms and Processes of Governance in European Industrial Relations

By Evelyne L¨¦onard; Roland Erne, Paul Marginson, Stijn Smismans

The study aims to provide new information on the impact of new governance tools on the different actors of the European system of industrial relations ¨C European institutions, governments and European social partners.

Furthermore, it endeavours to: promote awareness and understanding of the new forms of governance and their impact on the different levels of industrial relations in the European Union; contribute to the ongoing debate on the Europeanisation of industrial relations in the context of the modernisation of employment relations and the evolving role of the social partners in an enlarged EU, especially against the background of the Lisbon agenda; contribute to the transparency of the results of new forms of governance in European industrial relations; and examine the interrelationship between the different levels of industrial relations as well as between different tools of new governance, such as European social dialogue and the open method of coordination.

Looking at new structures, forms and processes of governance in European industrial relations involved undertaking a thorough analysis of recent developments in European industrial relations, which are influenced by the development of new governance tools in social dialogue.

This report explores the following processes and their interrelationships with one another:

¡ö the open method of coordination ¨C a way of policymaking that does not lead to binding EU legislative measures nor requires Member States to change their law;

¡ö the two types of European social dialogue agreements based on Article 139 (2) of the EC Treaty:

(1) agreements to be transposed by Council decision; and (2) voluntary or autonomous agreements between the social partners to be implemented in accordance with the practices and procedures specific to company management and labour and the Member States;

¡ö frameworks of action, guidelines, codes of conduct and policy orientations;

¡ö joint opinions, declarations and practical tools.

The study aims to provide new information on the impact of new governance tools on the different actors of the European system of industrial relations ¨C European institutions, governments and European social partners.

Furthermore, it endeavours to:

¡ö promote awareness and understanding of the new forms of governance and their impact on the different levels of industrial relations in the European Union;

¡ö contribute to the ongoing debate on the Europeanisation of industrial relations in the context of the modernisation of employment relations and the evolving role of the social partners in an enlarged EU, especially against the background of the Lisbon agenda;

¡ö contribute to the transparency of the results of new forms of governance in European industrial relations;

¡ö examine the interrelationship between the different levels of industrial relations as well as between different tools of new governance, such as European social dialogue and the open method of coordination.

(European Foundation for the Improvement in Living and Working Conditions, 2007)