THE SOCIAL DIALOGUE THE SOCIAL DIALOGUE INSIDE THEINSIDE THE

EUROPEAN SYSTEM OFEUROPEAN SYSTEM OFCENTRAL BANKSCENTRAL BANKS

By Thierry Desanois President

First contacts with A. Lamfalussy, EMI’s President

February February 19971997

The European Monetary Institut considered that it was not submitted to any legal obligation regarding social dialogue or negotiation. However, being conscious of the impact that the

setting up of the future European System of Central Banks was going to have, the EMI ’s officers proposed to clarify all the

questions

First contacts with Mr. W. Duisenberg

Mr. Duisenberg made the clear distinction between the establisment of a social dialogue and the creation of a negotiation

body. He informed the SCECBU that, considering the autonomy with which the European Central Bank had been endowed by the

Maastricht Treaty, the question of negotiation should be more deeply examinated.

December December 19971997

Standing Committee’s basic principles for a real Social

Dialogue

In this document, the SCECBU proposed the constitution of a Committee for a structured social dialogue (mutual information,

consultation and dialogue for finding common interests). The Committee would be represented by appointed National Central

Bank and ECB’s staff representatives and also by three delegates, each one representing the SCECBU, the Euro-FIET

and the EPSU, respectively.

August August 19981998

Official negotiation meeting

On ECB’s side, a vague text was proposed that only contained some general principles;

the trade union organisations referred to the basic principles sent in August 1998 (non-restrictive list of discussion topics), emphasised on the protection of the delegates participating in the social dialogue and demanded that the European Central Bank supported the participation expenses.

The positions of the European Central Bank and some union The positions of the European Central Bank and some union organisations were very different on some issues:organisations were very different on some issues:

December December 19981998

A draft agreement approved by the

Executive Commission of SCECBU

The Executive Commission approved the draft agreement against a certain number of amendments, notably on the confidentiality of

the received information, the number of delegates (it was proposed to add the three contact persons of the European trade union

organisations to the 30 delegates foreseen in the pre-agreement) and, above all, that the list of the topics to be discussed would

also include the opinions on the financial situation of the European System of Central Banks.

February February 19991999

Signature of the ESCB Social Dialogue

The meeting didn't take place with the President of the ECB, who was not available due to lack of time, but with

the Vice-President, Mr. Christian Noyer. The last disagreements were finally solved and the Social

Dialogue was solemnly signed on December 3, 1999.

December December 19991999

December December 19991999

ESCB SOCIAL DIALOGUE

19991999

CONTACT PERSONS

1

1

1

STANDING COMMITTEE OF EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK UNIONS

UNION NETWORK INTERNATIONAL - FINANCE

EUROPEAN PUBLIC SERVICE UNIONS

1. Agenda for the ESCB Social Dialogue meetings

2. Preparatory meeting of ESCB Social Dialogue

3. Plenary meeting of ESCB Social Dialogue

4. ESCB Social Dialogue conclusions

++AUSTRIA

DENMARK

FINLAND

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

IRELAND

ITALY

LUXEMBURG

NETHERLANDS

BELGIUM

PORTUGAL

SPAIN

U. KINGDOM

E.C.B.

SWEDEN

2

2

1

1

4

4

2

1

3

1

2

2

2

1

2

1

30 SEATS FOR 15 CENTRAL BANKS + 1 SEAT FOR THE ECB

31 SEATS FOR 36 TRADE UNIONS==

With the 10 new EU countries, a renegotiation regarding the number of seats in the ESCB social dialogue urged.

January January 20042004

Renegotiation of the agreement protocol

20062006

AUSTRIA

DENMARK

FINLAND

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

IRELAND

ITALY

LUXEMBURG

NETHERLANDS

BELGIUM

PORTUGAL

SPAIN

U. KINGDOM

E.C.B.

SWEDEN

2

2

1

1

3

3

2

1

1

1

2

3

2

1

2

2

++

MALTACZECH REP.

POLAND

CYPRUS HUNGARY

SLOVAKIA

ESTONIA

LITHUANIA SLOVENIA

LATVIA

43 SEATS FOR 25 CENTRAL BANKS & ECB

2

1 1

1

221

1 1

2

3 contact persons3 contact persons

E.S.C.B.E.S.C.B.S.D.S.D.