ETUI-REHS has opened discussions with the three global players in the field of social, labour and health policies - the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE)  - on strengthening social dialogue in OHS in the countries of South and Eastern Europe (SEE).

The initial idea came about this year during negotiations of the Stability Pact for South and Eastern Europe. The project aims at strengthening the capabilities of countries in dealing with OHS by stimulating social dialogue for setting up occupational health and safety policies, by supporting the development of national strategies and legislation. Moreover the creation of the key models of occupational health services and workplace dialogue play an equally important part of the project.

The SEE countries cover Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the European Union in 2007. The rest of the countries are the potential EU members.

The initial meeting of the project partners, representatives of Stability Pact and focused SEE countries was held at the beginning of May 2005. During this meeting, the agenda of the project was clarified and finalised. The first steps were set up. They involve the addressing of social partners in specific countries, the creation of the network of contact persons, the elaboration of the national reports on present situation in OHS, the negotiations with the potential donors and the preparation of the draft of one of project modules.

In this phase of the project, the ETUI-REHS will be actively involved in two subtopics. The first one is the elaboration of the first module dealing with the social dialogue in OHS. The second one is the assistance to countries writing national reports.

This project presents a unique opportunity for transfer of knowledge among SEE countries alone and among SEE countries and the European trade unions. If this project is supported sufficiently by donors, we can expect the involvement of trade union experts from the Member States in training courses.

The representative of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, prof. Jovanka Karadzinksa-Bislimovska from the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Skopje said at the meeting: "We need your support definitely. Health and Safety at work in my country and in neighbouring countries is an area that has been left aside. We have to try to change this situation in favour of a better working environment for our workers."

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Fourteen years on
The political and economic upheavals which occurred in many of the new accession countries in 1989 ushered in a transition to a new system of labour relations, with its benefits and drawbacks. The new roles and responsibilities acquired by trade unions and employers” organisations in occupational safety and health are still less than satisfactory from the trade union viewpoint.  Social dialogue and trade union action can be improved through a new political attitude and expertise combined with the creation of new types of procedures  and an assessment of practices in different working environments.

Background
The new accession countries have a duty to take over the acquis communautaire, which is a minimum legislative framework for occupational safety and health. The transposition of directives and their implementation through national laws are a central issue for trade unions. The role and involvement of workers must be improved in line with the requirements of the European Directives.

Extensive EU support
The European Union helps to bring preventive systems in the new accession countries into line through a range of funds and bilateral or multilateral expert support. A series of projects, twinning programmes, expert exchanges, etc. have been carried out in recent years. Expert assistance has focused mainly on approximation of laws, labour inspection, national occupational safety and health systems, work injury insurance, and so on.  A careful assessment of how effective this assistance is, and what more needs doing, is vital.

Lack of practical expertise
The Commission's regular reports are apt to focus more on the institutional setting and transposition of European legislation than its practical implementation in workplaces. This area remains unaddressed. The lack of information on the impacts on workers' health is plain to see. The Dublin Foundation's first survey (2001) across 12 applicant countries revealed some differences but overall more similarities between workers' complaints compared to previous surveys in member states.

New actions needed
For trade unions, social dialogue, operational systems for the representation, information, consultation and participation of workers on safety and health at the workplace, are crucial issues. Framing strategies for the years ahead, together with the current member states, is top of the trade union agenda.

The ETUC in cooperation with the TUTB held a conference which included parallel workshops on selected topics.

• Presentations in Plenary sessions and Parallel workshops

The European Commission has signaled the final preparedness of the applicant CEE accession countries for EU membership. However, concerns remain as to the administrative capacity of the new member states in the post-accession period. At domestic political level, support for regulation in particular on occupational health and safety (working environment), is limited among CEE business and political elites. Regulation is seen as a burden, adding to costs and undermining competitive advantage. The arrival of the new member states may mark a further slowing down of European-level OHS initiatives. European Commission strategy is explored by examining the Commission forward view for OHS in the next period, together with the final pre-accession monitoring reports. The gap between these estimates and the actuality of a deteriorated working environment is identified by examining quantitative and qualitative evidence.

• A report to the ETUC-TUTB by Charles Woolfson

National health and safety situations - reports to the TUTB

• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Spain
• Poland

• Dublin Foundation: European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
• EIRO: European Industrial Relations Observatory 
• ECOHSE: European Centre for Occupational Health, Safety and the Environment
• European Commission: Enlargement website
• EurActiv Portal on Enlargement

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