From EPSU Executive Committee 15-16 June 2025
A new Pact for Social dialogue adopted between European social partners and with the European Commission
A new Pact for European social dialogue, negotiated by social partners and with the European Commission, in the last few months, was adopted on 5 March. The Pact is a follow up to the Social Partners Summit (Val Duchesse, January 2024) whose aim was to rebuild trust between Cross sector partners by fostering social dialogue since the breakdown of the cross-sectoral negotiations on telework and right to disconnect. – and which issued a “Tripartite declaration for a thriving European social dialogue”. The Pact reflects priority areas, notably:
- recognition that striking agreements is part of EU social dialogue
- exchange with social partners on the procedure to decide to implement by a directive a social partner agreement
- Social Dialogue Envoy to be appointed and special mechanism to deal with problems with national or EU social to be implemented
- more meaningful consultation of social partners on Commission priority dossiers, going beyond social policy and being carried out ahead of the adoption of Commission’s work programme*
- Redefinition of competitiveness based on social justice, environmental sustainability, quality jobs and public services, not only on productivity
- the Commission will work jointly with social partners on the drafting of a “Quality Jobs Roadmap” to be issued in 2025
Read more: Text of the Pact here – EPSU press release, ETUC press release
European Commission News article
USF’s Advocacy for Enhanced Social Dialogue
Union Syndicale Fédérale (USF), representing European civil servants and officials, has long championed stronger social dialogue mechanisms within the EU institutions. Its strategic plan for 2023–2027 outlines a commitment to advancing collective bargaining and addressing the lack of real dialogue within many EU bodies. USF has also taken legal action, including against the European Commission, to defend and enforce the rights of public service unions to be heard and involved in decision-making processes.
The principles set out in the new Pact—such as better consultation practices and a new mechanism to resolve social dialogue issues—directly echo USF’s priorities. As such, this Pact will certainly have a significant impact on USF’s ongoing work, reinforcing its position and lending new momentum to its efforts to institutionalize meaningful, enforceable dialogue between staff unions and EU institutions.
The convergence of USF’s strategic objectives and EPSU’s advocacy reflects a strong, unified commitment to strengthening social dialogue in EU public services. As the Pact begins to be implemented, this new framework promises to give real weight to the voices of workers and unions in shaping the future of European public administration.
In particular, EPSU’s success in advancing the Pact will serve as a powerful support for USF’s efforts within the European institutions—amplifying the impact of their advocacy, bolstering their legal and strategic arguments, and opening up new opportunities for structured, effective dialogue across the EU public sector.
