Who are
we?
CEEP UK is
a social partner organisation representing public service employers, employers’
organisations and employers providing services in the general interest. CEEP UK
was established in 1998 as a result of the recognition that any organisation
wishing to influence the future direction and shape of employment and labour
legislation, as well as regulation and policy in many other areas, needs to be
active at European Union level. This includes involvement in the European
social dialogue process as well as active lobbying of European institutions.
What is the European social dialogue and why is it important?
The
European social dialogue is the process by which trade union and employer
organisations can exchange information and influence European policy and
legislation thorough their European representative organisations. Over the
historical development of the European Communities, the social dialogue process
has become more structured and has increased significantly in importance. This
is particularly true since 1991, when the Maastricht Treaty made it possible
for the social partners to conclude European level framework agreements in the
area of individual and collective employees’ rights. If the social partners so
desire, these can form the basis of national legislation through the
implementation of European Directives. Such agreements have formed the origin of
the Parental Leave Directive; the Part Time Work Directive and the Fixed Term
Work Directive. The European social partners have also agreed so-called
“voluntary” framework agreements on teleworking and stress which are being
implemented at national level through processes involving the social partners,
rather than through legislation.
In 2002,
the European cross-sectoral social partner organisations adopted their first
autonomous three year work programme. More information on the details and
progress of this work programme can be found at http://www.ceep.org/en/documents/Social%20Partners/programme%20travail%20PS-EN.pdf
The
European intersectoral social partner organisations involved in these
negotiations are ETUC (the European Trade Union Confederation), UNICE (the
Union of Industrial Employers’ Confederations of Europe), UEAPME
(representatives of SMEs in Europe) and CEEP (the Centre of Enterprises with Public
Participation and Enterprises of General Economic Interest).
CEEP UK is
a full member of CEEP. CEEP is an interprofessional association established in
1961. It represents employers and enterprises active in the provision of public
services (or services of general interest). Historically, these were public
enterprises, but mixed or private ownership is becoming more common in
undertakings providing general interest services. Today, CEEP members include
organisations which provide (or procure) essential services available to all
members of the community, which are operated in the general public interest
and/or subject to state regulation.
You can
find out more about the European social dialogue and its results on the
dedicated website of the European Commission http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/social_dialogue/index_en.htm
Additional information on CEEP and the other partners involved in the European
cross sectoral social dialogue process is available on the organisation’s
respective websites:
CEEP www.ceep.eu
UNICE www.unice.org
ETUC www.etuc.org
UEAPME www.ueapme.org