Workshop organized by the people 2 people program of the european commission in cooperation with etuc

11/25/2013

President Mitrevski – Cooperation is important for overcoming of the consequences of the economic crisis

In the period between 25 and 28 November in Skopje is organized the Workshop on Western Balkans Trade Unions and EU integration – Social Policy and Social Security Systems organized by the People 2 People program of the European Commission in cooperation with ETUC.

Peter Seideneck of the ETUC made the introduction explaining that the program is intended to help networking of the national, regional and European partners.

President Mitrevski PhD opened the event saying that the project is of high importance for the trade union movement in the region. With accepting various modules we will create a basis for joint concept for all trade unions that will be basis for fighting of the challenges we face with in the region. Cooperation is important for the economic crisis but also for privatization, creating new relations in social, economic and political system, adjustment of the legislation with the EU standards.

One of the program goals is to create new partnerships

The P2P Program intends to offer to civil society organizations from the beneficiaries the possibility to interact and network with their national, regional and European-level counterparts and to create new partnerships as well as to visit EU institutions, in order to familiarize themselves with EU structures, policy making process, programs, policies and best practices.

Today’s workshop is second in the cycle of the workshops planned for 2013 and 2014. Working groups will be working on fallowing topics:

• Social Dialogue development
• Labor law and workers’ rights / European Works Councils
• Health and safety legislation
• Single market and EU economy, free movement of labor /li>
• Fight against corruption and good governance

The purpose is to support trade union organizations in Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo participating in the regional “Joint trade union commission for EU Integration” to achieve European standards. This should enable the organizations to play their role in the EU integration process as relevant partners of the respective governments and the EU Commission.

Participants will represent trade unions of the following organizations: Macedonia: SSM and KSS; Serbia: SSS and UGS Nezavisnost; Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska: SSBiH/FBiH and SSRS/RS; Kosovo: BSPK; Montenegro: SSCRG and USSM.