EUROPEAN COMMISSION. Draft Minutes of the Plenary Committee Meeting 27 November 2015

Transcription

1 EUROPEAN COMMISSION DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Employment and Social Governance Social dialogue SECTORIAL DIALOGUE COMMITTEE FOOD AND DRINK INDUSTRY Draft Minutes of the Plenary Committee Meeting 27 November Opening and introduction of new Commission Policy officer for the Committee. The plenary meeting was chaired by Mr.Harald Wiedenhofer (EFFAT). After recalling the items on the agenda, the Chairman pointed out that the presentation by the Swedish partners is deferred to a next meeting 2. Approval of the agenda and the last plenary minutes. The agenda and the last plenary minutes are approved. draft agenda FOODDRINK Final Draft Minutes Food and 3. Presentation of national social partners. Social dialog in Denmark.pptx Roundtable: Following the Danish social dialogue presentation, participants raised the following issues: What is the role of the government in the process of preparation and implementation of social dialogue? Coordination of social dialogue and its implementation is carried out by the national sectoral bodies or by the government? 1

2 The Danish Stakeholders indicate that the Danish labour market by the social partners is a principle accepted by the political parties. The governing parties have long understood that any reforms of the labour market without the support of social partners is doomed to failure. Integration and implementation of Union legislation on social matters (directives and regulations) are not the exclusive remit of the government but involve the social partners. EU legislation is also incorporated into the sectoral agreements. How Denmark can have, in the pig sector, identical prices (see below) compared to large producer countries while the production costs are essentially similar and, that Danish wages are higher? The Danish Stakeholders clarify that the competitiveness of the Danish pig industry export is explained by two factors: on the one hand, the automation of production that allows for productivity gains and, on the second hand, the focus on quality. Furthermore, they stress that automation and high salaries have in turn led to a reduction in the number of posts for ten years in this sector and generally in the agri-food industry As the Danish flexisecurity suggests that, in order to foster the volume of employment and the rapid return to employment, employment less remunerative is supplemented by the payment of an allowance. In this case, what are the sources of financing the compensation mechanism? The Danish flexisecurity model does not in any way imply the payment of a compensatory allowance in case of a takeover of a job less financially rewarding. Such compensation is payable only in the event of unemployment. Is there any training given to young people to understand the functioning of the Danish flexisecurity model? If yes, in which context did this take place? The Danish Stakeholders recall that flexisecurity is an integral part of the Danish model of society. If there is no specific training on functioning of flexisecurity, this issue is however addressed at primary school. Moreover, the right to education is enshrined in collective agreements. As concluding remarks, the Chairman referred to the specificities of the flexisecurity notion. He also underlined that we should ask ourselves why flexisecurity is only implemented in the Nordic countries. According to him, and this may concern all Member States, part of the answer lies in ensuring that public authorities are reluctant to fully implement the principle of the autonomy of the social partners. 4. Presentation of Michael Chaussard, DG Employment. 2

3 After welcoming the social partners Mr. Chaussard explains that he replaces Ms. Dauphinelle Clement since the mid of September. Concerning the sectoral social dialogue, he is in charge of the overseeing of six committees: Private Security, Agriculture, Horeca (Hotels and Restaurants), Food & Drink, Contract Catering and Sugar. After this introduction, Mr. Chaussard presents the Commission Work Programme 2016 and the last outputs of the New start for social dialogue. Presentation of the Commission Work Programme 2016: With regards to the last outputs of the New Start for social dialogue conference taken place on 5 March 2016 he reminds members that all the institutional triangle reaffirmed the priority of the social dialogue policy. From an operational point of view, two working groups have been established which are directly attached to the social dialogue committee: Social dialogue, economic governance and capacity building; Social dialogue, policy making and better regulation. The first thematic group sought to reflect on how to better involve social partners in the European Semester exercise. The second thematic group discussions have, for their part, made on the Better Regulation package and, in particular, on the revision of the Interinstitutional Agreement. As regards the draft revision, the latter not only reaffirms the privileges of the social partners in the consultation process set out in Article 154 TFEU but also extends the scope of public consultations. 5. Review of the 2015 Work Programme. Draft review Social Dialogue WP 2015.do Mr. Ferrucci (Food and Drink Europe) recalls that many of the topics of the work programme for 2015 are carried out in the 2016 work programme. He then held a brief review of the topics included in the work programme for the year 2015 and the results thereof. He highlighted the following: 3

4 As regards the issues of industrial policy for the sector, a joint declaration of the social partners was published in 2014 and an EESC opinion on this topic involving the social partners has been adopted in May As regards the transposition of the Directive of temporary workers, the social partners discussed whether to adopt a joint declaration on the subject. However, these discussions have not yet come to the adoption of a joint declaration. The discussion is set to continue in Finally, as regards the actions on climate change, a draft joint declaration on COP 21 will be discussed this afternoon. 6. Presentation of the 2016 Work Programme Draft Social Dialogue WP 2016.docx Ms. Estelle Brentnall (EFFAT) recalls that last year the Committee had adopted the principle of a two-year work programme. It is therefore normal that the topics covered in the work programme 2015 are included in the 2016 one. She then conducted a review of topics included in the 2016 work programme. 7. Update on Commission funded research project VP/2014/001/0108. Mr. Fabrice Warneck (Syndex consultancy for Social Europe) presents the latest developments of the project entitled: bringing in new talents and managing an ageing workforce: two sides of the same coin implementing good practices for a more attractive food and drink industry in Europe. Furthermore, Mr. Warneck recalls that a two-day seminar was held in July 2015 in Stockholm. During the seminar workshops enabled the social partners to identify the main challenges of the sector: Need to diversify the labour force in the sector; Reinforcing the image of the sector; Responding to new challenges: Automation and new technologies. 4

5 Following this presentation the Chairman asks Mr. Warneck on the timetable for the next steps of the project. The timetable is as follows: Finalisation of the report presenting case studies in February- March 2016 to be submitted for opinion to the social partners; Delivery of the final project in April- May 2015; Public presentation of the report at a conference in Brussels in June 2016 and during the final Conference Bratislava in September Additionally Mr. David Yeandle (FoodDrinkEurope) indicates that the choice of Bratislava for the final conference can be explained by the fact that Slovakia will hold the EU Presidency in the second half of With regards the upcoming Presidency, Mr. Yeandle emphasises that it has been in contact with the member of the Slovak perm rep in Brussels responsible for employment and social affairs. He Mr Ferrucci alongside Ms. Brentanall will try to meet early 2016 in order to organise the final conference in Bratislava. 8. COP 21 Climate Change. Following an exchange of views on the amendments proposed by EFFAT, social partners agreed the following joint declaration. FINAL Social dialogue joint statement on clim 9. Matters arising. On the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, Ms. Brentnall recalls that alongside Mr. Ferrucci, they had previously asked the members of the Committee to inform them about local initiatives on this topic. It was reiterated that this is an issue for the attractiveness of the sector. The Chairman agrees with Ms. Brentnall about the importance of apprenticeships for the image of the sector. He lists the actions undertaken by social partners in the Construction and Sugar sectors. Ms. Brentnall indicates that the site of the European Construction Industry Federation ( in partnership with DG GROW, set up a dedicated web page to apprenticeships in the sector. This initiative could be used as a model. If so, it would be necessary to contact DG grow to shape such a partnership. 5

6 On the refugee crisis, the Chairman recalled that EFFAT adopted a common position which is available on its website: Mr. Yeandle underlined that the Committee has in the past adopted a report on demographic change. The report includes a number of recommendations on migrant workers. It might be useful to explore the possibility of extending these recommendations to refugees. 10. Conclusions and next steps. The Chairman thanked the participants and welcomes the 2016 work programme adopted. Mr. Yeandle thanked Mr. Harald Wiedenhofer for his chairmanship of the Committee for He expressed the view that to be as effective as for the Presidency of the Committee in AOB. Mr. Chaussard reminds the participants that the dates for the 2016 meetings are the following: Working group committees: 16 February 2016 and 28 April 2016 Plenary committee: 18 November List of participants Liste of participants - F&D - PL pdf 6