ABSTRACT
During the first decade of the European Community employers’ associations and trade unions were established at European level, without any permanent contact being established between them. As was the case with the numerous lobby organisations in Brussels, they pursued their own interests within the EC’s institutions. Since 1971, the Standing Committee on Employment has provided a forum in which labour and social ministers, the Commission, trade unions and employers’ associations can meet twice a year. In 1985 Commission President Delors invited UNICE, CEEP and the ETUC to participate in round-table discussions at Val Duchesse in Brussels, establishing a forum of social dialogue with the European Commission. The three participating organisations had already been identified as the social partners by the Commission in the early years of the Community.
