Public Services in an Enlarged European Union

Orientation for EPSU's future work in the enlarged European Union


  1. EPSU is committed to furthering the European social model, based on high quality public services, strong unions and well functioning social dialogue and collective bargaining.

  2. The composition of the EU institutions, e.g. the Commission, the Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of the Regions will reflect the new member states. EPSU's efforts need to underpin good relations with these institutions from a trade union perspective.

  3. A priority in EPSU's future work and resources must be geared towards facilitating and assisting in the establishment of adequate social dialogue and collective bargaining structures in the accession countries of CEE in particular. The negotiating capacity of the trade unions in the accession countries must be further enhanced through exchange of experience and expertise and development of strategies for multi-employer bargaining, pattern bargaining and extension clauses.

  4. The potential model function of the European social dialogue at sectoral level has to be recognised and built upon.

  5. The implementation of the social acquis depends on the active involvement of the social partners at national levels, for example on the working time directive and health and safety legislation. EPSU will evaluate the progress in the transposition of EU social acquis on a yearly basis and publicly denounce violations by employers and governments of core legislation through publication of a ‘black book'.

  6. EPSU needs to review its internal operation to take account of different needs within the enlarged European Union and a further enlarging European Union.


- EPSU will explore the possibilities of training trade union organisers to support the efforts of affiliates in Central and Eastern Europe to increase unionisation levels. EPSU will also facilitate exchange of experience on recruitment strategies.
- An EPSU information toolkit, accompanied by teaching materials is being developed. This material is to provide a framework of common objectives for training and organising purposes and its use will be promoted for bilateral / multilateral trade union co-operation under the EPSU umbrella.
- EPSU will integrate the ‘enlargement' dimension into the work of all its statutory structures and will consider adequate forms of discussing pertinent issues for policy development.