Fund for Social Dialogue and Decent Work

Objective:
Strengthened social dialogue between workers’ organisations, employers’ organisations and public authorities and the promotion of decent work. 

Rationale for the support 

Every worker has the right to working conditions that respect their health, safety, and dignity, and that are in line with international and EU human rights standards. Fair and just working conditions are also key drivers of social and economic resilience, inclusive growth, and competitiveness. 

The International Labour Organization emphasises four pillars of ‘decent work’: job creation, rights at work, social protection, and social dialogue. Despite its fundamental role, many people in Europe do not have access to decent work. Unemployment and skills mismatch, poor working conditions, discrimination, and the lack of social protection remain a challenge, with workers in vulnerable situations being the most affected. 

Social dialogue is an efficient tool to achieve decent work and to find consensus-based solutions in response to the changing world of work and social disruption stemming from crises and transitions. The EU urges the need to reinforce social dialogue and strengthen social partners, meaning workers’ and employers’ organisations, given their important role in policymaking and law-making at the national and EU level. This includes efforts to reverse the decline in collective agreements coverage and trade union density, which have diminished significantly in EU Member States. 

The European Pillar of Social Rights sets the priorities for EU action for fair working conditions, equality, and inclusion in the labour market, underlining the importance of involving social partners and workers. Newer forms of work and digitalisation bring new opportunities for both employers and workers, but also challenges for decent work and social dialogue. Several groups of workers and the self-employed remain underrepresented in collective agreements and social dialogue.

Areas of support 

• Strengthening social dialogue structures, practices, capacities, and policies. 

• Promoting decent work, including the prevention and combatting of social dumping and undeclared work. 

How the objective will be addressed 

Well-functioning social dialogue requires the involvement of strong, independent, and representative social partners, as well as public authorities. In several European countries, social partners lack the capacity and conditions to engage in social dialogue effectively. The Fund is therefore dedicated to supporting institutional capacity building and training, as well as bipartite and tripartite social dialogue.

Establishing decent work for all involves enhancing fair and safe working conditions and creating better jobs. Support will be given to projects increasing decent work arrangements and the quality of jobs. This will include training of labour inspectorates and other regulatory authorities to enforce legislation, as well as capacity building and awareness raising among social partners and workers on the benefits of decent work. In addressing decent work, cooperation between public authorities, social partners and civil society organisations will be supported. 

Today’s labour market challenges also require transnational cooperation, such as in response to social dumping and undeclared work, as well as on the integration of migrants and refugees. By collaborating across borders, resources and expertise can be pooled and impacts strengthened. 

Gender equality and nondiscrimination are crosscutting principles that shall be addressed throughout the Fund. 

Key actors and beneficiaries 

Social partners and public authorities are the primary actors and beneficiaries. International organisations, including organisations for workers and employers, social enterprises, and educational and research institutions are relevant partners. Civil society organisations representing workers in vulnerable situations can play an important role in contributing to decent work for these groups, and help create a bridge between these workers, employers, social partners and public authorities. 

Workers in particular need of improved conditions for decent work are the main beneficiaries of the programme area. A specific focus will be given to groups of workers underrepresented in social dialogue and workers vulnerable to discrimination, exploitation, and mistreatment in the labour market. 

Bilateral cooperation plays an important role in the Fund, through the close involvement of Norwegian social partners, public authorities, and civil society organisations in the exchange of knowledge and experience. 

Fund specifics 

• Projects with bilateral partnerships shall be given priority. 

• Transnational cooperation shall be supported. 

Financial size of the Fund

The Agreement between Norway and the European Union on the Norwegian Financial Mechanism (2021-2028) sets aside one percent of the total financial contribution the SDDW Fund, corresponding to €13,615,200.