European Employers: Social Partners?

Abstract

In this chapter we focus on the perspectives and behaviour of European cross-sectoral employers’ organisations in social partnership since 1985. In overview, this has evolved from a non-binding, consultative forum into an arena, since Maastricht, in which the social partners enjoy an institutionalised role in the policy-making process and can negotiate legally binding agreements on labour market issues. The quasi-legislative role accorded to them under the terms of European social partnership now enables their agreements to provide an alternative for Commission proposals, and allows them to effectively displace the Council and the European Parliament from their usual legislative functions, in the sense that the social partners are now entitled to determine the content of social legislation in their place and offer it to the Council of Ministers for ratification through passage of binding legislation. Three agreements have been negotiated so far.