Involucración de los sindicatos en el Semestre Europeo (INVOTUNES) es un proyecto de investigación de dos años (2018-2019) financiado por la Comisión Europea y destinado a examinar la participación de las organizaciones sindicales nacionales en los ciclos europeo y nacional del Semestre Europeo.
El marco temporal abarcado es el período comprendido entre 2014 y 2018, mientras que en el análisis se consideran dos ámbitos de política social abordados en el Semestre que son de particular relevancia para los sindicatos: a) empleo y fijación de salarios; y b) protección social e inclusión social. El proyecto se centra en ocho países: Alemania, Bélgica, Bulgaria, Finlandia, Hungría, Italia, Portugal y Suecia. Para cada uno de estos ocho países, un equipo de país realizó un estudio de caso en profundidad, utilizando métodos de investigación cualitativa. Además, con miras a obtener un panorama amplio de la situación en toda la Unión Europea (UE), se llevó a cabo una encuesta en línea que abarcó los 28 Estados Miembros.
El proyecto de investigación fue coordinado por el Observatorio Social Europeo y contó con la participación de tres centros de investigación independientes, tres institutos relacionados con los sindicatos y tres universidades.
Atención: Este texto está escrito en inglés
Objectives of the project: from research to awareness raising
INVOTUNES had six specific objectives:
- first, to identify the channels through which national trade unions have access to both the EU and national cycles of the European Semester;
- second, to shed light on the linkages between the Semester and 'ordinary' domestic decision-making procedures (in particular, national social dialogue);
- third, to identify trade unions' strategies for involvement and the determinants of these strategies;
- fourth, to highlight trade unions' actual influence on the agenda, the outputs and the outcomes of the process (if any);
- fifth, to provide recommendations to both trade unions and decision-makers on how to increase the effectiveness of the involvement process; and
- finally, to increase awareness of the importance of the European Semester among domestic trade unions and, more generally, social partner organisations.
Key findings
Nine key messages emerge from the research.
- The poor quality of the access channels at national level, even ‘unwillingness’,
- the multiplying of the satisfactory access channels for interaction with EU institutions in the Semester,
- national trade unions adopt different strategies (proactive vs responsive) for involvement in the Semester
- chosen strategy is limited by a lack of adequate cognitive and organisational resources,
- inter-trade union cooperation, but not with employers or civil society organisations,
- several instances of usage of the Semester tools and messages as a ‘policy sword, as ‘lubricant’ or as containment strategy,
- trade unions perceive their influence as limited or non-existent,
- influence on EU documents like Country-specific Recommendations (CSRs) is only possible with the availability of cognitive resources,
- political considerations are dictating the involvement process on both sides (policy-makers and trade unions).
Read more in the executive summary or the report.
Policy recommendations for more effective involvement in the European Semester
Recommendations for trade unions include:
- to strengthen their cognitive and organisational resources and to exchange good practices regarding involvement in the Semester;
- to promote cooperation between national trade unions in the same country, in order to establish more effective strategies for involvement;
- to enhance interaction with the European Commission, as this is a promising way to have some impact on the Semester
- to further clarify and enhance the role of the Trade Union Semester Liaison Officers (TUSLOs), including by better defining their position and responsibilities within national trade union confederations.
There are also recommendations for the Member States and the European Commission. Read more in the executive summary or the report.