Abstract

The paper does not deal with the history but with more recent developments and prospects of social dialogues. It covers not only the interprofessional but also the sectoral level and distinguishes explicitly the periods before and after Maastricht.

At the interprofessional level, the number of voluntary negotiations has remained limited. The necessary precondition for success is the new option of qualified majority voting in specified areas. The extension of social partners' impacts is no sufficient precondition. Voluntary negotiations will continue to be of minor importance. The Commission will remain the key player.

At the sectoral level, the old forms of dialogue (Joint Committees, Informal Working Groups) did not lead to binding framework agreements but fulfilled only tasks of consultation and information. The more recent rearrangement that was initiated by the Commission resulted only in a re-establishment of the old structures. In the foreseeable future, the conclusion of a larger number of binding agreements will be rather unlikely. Social dialogues will not be able to contribute significantly in order to close the gap between economic and social integration.