The Impact of the Social Dialogue Procedure on the Powers of European Union Institutions

Abstract

The involvement of European management and labour associations in European Union decision-making through the social dialogue1 procedure (Goldstein and Keohane, 1993, p.19; Garrett and Weingast, 1993, p.204) has been strengthened by its incorporation into the main body of the European Community Treaty at the 1997 Amsterdam European Council summit.² The EC Treaty, by virtue of Articles 138 and 139, formally set up a procedure for the structured involvement of European-level management and labour, i.e. social partners in European lawmaking. The social partners have to be consulted on any legislative proposal in the social field and may initiate a suspension of the legislation process by entering into negotiations with a view to concluding a European agreement.