THE CENTRAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL CCE An institution at the service of the social dialogue
TABLE OF CONTENTS The Council s Missions 3 The Organisation of the Council 5 The Secretariat s Duties 7 The Secretariat s Working Method 9 The Organisation of the Secretariat 10 Legislation conferring powers to issue opinions 14 17-21 Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée 1040 Bruxells T 02 233 88 11 - F 02 233 89 12 E mail@ccecrb.fgov.be www.ccecrb.fgov.be
Strategy note > page 3 The Council s mission ESTABLISHING AND INSTITUTIONALISING THE BELGIAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC MODEL The Central Economic Council (CCE) was set up by the law of 20 September 1948 organising the economy. The aim of this law is to make society more democratic by enabling workers to participate effectively at all levels of economic and social life. A similar reform was introduced in a series of countries on the European continent in the context of the social upheavals of the time. In this regard, the Central Economic Council institutionalises Belgium s specific socio-economic democratic model, as do moreover Works Council, Joint Committees and the National Labour Council set up in 1952. The democratisation process in question consisted in introducing certain institutional forms of democratic policy in economic and social areas. Via these structures, the State organises and structures a forum for conflicts of interest between capital and labour, which constitute one of the main cleavages in society, while endeavouring to protect social cohesion and the smooth working of production, trade and consumption. The aim is to achieve, within these institutions, a compromise between opposing forces within society to ensure, in accordance with the spirit of the social pact of 1944, the development of economic prosperity in order to enhance the well-being of the population. To that end, the social organisations which participate in these institutions are those that the State considers as representative of the social forces of the economy and that it considers as the priority economic and social partners. This model therefore gives the social partners the possibility to organise themselves in an autonomous way to deal with working conditions and social issues. However, this autonomy of the social partners is not unlimited since it is important to ensure, moreover, that their choices in this area are consistent with the framework economic and social policy conditions determined by the government. This general consistency is reflected in a socio-economic compromise. The Central Economic Council s institutional role consists in promoting the attainment of this socioeconomic compromise, by recommending to the government the economic policy measures which, in its opinion, are the best way of achieving this objective. In concrete terms, pursuant to the law of 1948, its mission consists in submitting to a minister or the legislative chambers, either on its own initiative, or at the request of the said authorities, and in the form of reports setting out the various views expressed within this organisation, any opinions or proposals concerning issues relating to the national economy. This role has been expanded over time by various legal provisions which make the delivery of opinions or reports compulsory.
page 4 > Strategy note The Council s mission PROMOTING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF A SOCIO-ECONOMIC COMPROMISE Since the draft solidarity agreement of 1944, the development of economic prosperity with a view to improving the well-being of the population has been a key political concern. The socio-economic compromise of the 1950s and 1960s had made it possible to achieve this objective. However, sociological and economic changes have eroded the ability of this compromise to continue to satisfy expectations in this area. The major trends that have influenced changes in this area include: - changes in consumption, increased leisure time and life expectancy, the opening up of the world as part of the globalisation phenomenon, resulting in particular in the fragmentation of individual interests, increasingly blurring distinctions between given social groups; - the fact that, over and above material prosperity and subsistence protection, the notion of well-being increasingly includes considerations regarding the quality of the environment; - by challenging the economic and social acquis and by profoundly transforming our traditional concepts of the world, a new technological cycle is changing the bases of economic growth and giving rise to new or increased tensions between workers, in particular between skilled and unskilled workers; - the exacerbation, by globalisation, of conflicts of interest between States which have neither a common past nor comparable levels of development or socio-economic models, etc. In these historical circumstances, the Central Economic Council s role is to enable the social partners to compare their respective points or view, thereby enhancing their knowledge and ability to find common ground on interpretations with a view to updating the socio-economic compromise necessary to deal with the new socio-economic realities. IN ORDER TO CONSOLIDATE SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICIES Via opinions based on this updated knowledge and interpretations, the Central Economic Council endeavours to facilitate the integration by the federal government of the new elements of the socioeconomic compromise in its economic, social and environmental policies. Whenever social and economic policies interact, the Council carries out this task in consultation with the National Labour Council
Strategy note > page 5 The organisation of the Council The Central Economic Council consists of political and technical bodies. POLITICAL BODIES The Council or the special consultative committee approve the opinions and reports. As soon as these are approved, they are binding on the social partners to the extent that the said opinion and reports bind their respective organisations. The Council s Vice-Presidents determine the Council s policy guidelines. The Bureau is responsible for the day-to-day management of the activities of the Council and the Secretariat. TECHNICAL BODIES The work, in particular, drawing up opinions, is prepared in sub-committees, whose members are drawn from the social partners. Each of these sub-committees is attached to one of the following committees: - socio-economic policy - organisation of the economy - sustainable development - sectoral committees (including the Special Sectoral Consultative Committees) - the Competition Committee The Socio-Economic Policy Committee deals with European political issues, structural policy and labour market policy (working of the labour market as well as markets in goods and services). This committee plays a central role to the extent that, the less macroeconomic and structural policies contribute to economic adjustment, the more adjustments relate to the level of work and social conditions, thereby exacerbating labour relation tensions. The Organisation of the Economy Committee manages microeconomic type competences which result mainly from the social dialogue at company level (economic and financial information to be provided to works councils, accounting law, tax law, company law, corporate management, etc.), and the legal aspects of the working of markets in goods and services.
page 6 > Strategy note The organisation of the Council The Sustainable Development Committee focuses on climate change, energy and transport issues, means of stimulating more environmentally-friendly methods of production and consumption (ecotaxations, product standards, etc.) and the consistency between economic, social and environmental objectives. Issues related to the extension of the concept of well-being to include environmental aspects therefore fall within its scope of competence. The sectoral committees analyse the sectoral dynamics of the economy, with the aim of ensuring that horizontal policies satisfy sectoral specificities. The Competition Committee is responsible for matters relating to competition law. As a result of the internationalisation of the economy, technological developments and the diversification of consumer tastes, competition policy has taken the place of price policy as a means of regulating prices and income other than labour market income. This committee therefore plays a key role and reflects the desire, expressed by the social partners in the draft social solidarity agreement of 1944, to attempt to achieve an equitable distribution of the income generated by increased production. Because of the construction of the European Union and, in particular, the so-called Lisbon process, European and national issues increasingly overlap. The Bureau of the Council has therefore set up a unit with responsibility for monitoring current events in Europe. This unit s objectives are to: - monitor the work of the European institutions; - raise awareness at Bureau level of the importance of certain European issues; - ensure that the social partners are kept aware of European strategies, so that the elements of these strategies can become pillars of their negotiating relationship.
Strategy note > page 7 The Secretariat s Duties The Council and its Secretariat must not be confused. The Central Economic Council consists of the social partners. The Council s Secretariat is at the service of the social partners. In other words, the Council is a political body where the representatives of the social organisations commit their organisation. The Council s Secretariat supports the dialogue between the social partners and helps them achieve a compromise concerning the definition of socio-economic policies. INFORMING THE SOCIAL PARTNERS The Secretariat contributes therefore to the development of knowledge shared between the social partners: knowledge is understood to mean the gradual construction, by the institution, of a common interpretation by the various social organisations of economic, social and environmental changes. This process is inevitably a gradual process since it involves the dissemination of information to all employer and trade union structures In concrete terms, the Secretariat s role consists therefore in providing information that the inter-branch social partners can use to organise, on a common basis, a debate within their bodies. This task of informing the social partners involves: - organising hearings in the framework of the work of the sub-committees; - organising seminars; - making available briefing notes and reports; - studies and reports drawn up by the Secretariat. ORGANISING THE DEBATE BETWEEN THE SOCIAL PARTNERS This institutional information process makes it possible to share knowledge progressively and to structure the new social challenges and the new negotiating relationship, thereby updating the socio-economic compromise. The smooth working of this process depends on certain binding and recurrent dimensions, in which the dialogue between the State and the social partners plays a key role, such as the Technical Report, the Federal Sustainable Development Plan and European governance processes.
page 8 > Strategy note The Secretariat s Duties In the framework of the work conducted within the various committees, the organisation of this debate is based on: - meetings with political leaders and senior civil servants during which the social partners can express their points of view. These meetings are prepared by the sub-committees with responsibility for the issues concerned; - briefing notes, studies and reports drawn up by the Secretariat in order to raise awareness among the social partners about the various issues and to encourage them to provide their input; - the various compulsory reports. DRAFTING AGREEMENTS BETWEEN THE SOCIAL PARTNERS The final phase of this process consists in translating the updated social compromise in the form of socio-economic type normative recommendations, which are incorporated in the opinions issued by the Council. This phase is the culmination of negotiations at sub-committee level during which the Secretariat attempts to reconcile the different points of view and gradually build the widest possible consensus between the stakeholders. PUBLICISING THE COUNCIL S ACTIVITIES The Secretariat s duties also include developing the institution s communication policy and disseminating information within cabinets and the administration according to political events. PROMOTING KNOWLEDGE OF THE BELGIAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC MODEL To promote knowledge of the Belgian socio-economic model, the Secretariat establishes contacts with Belgian universities and colleges of higher education, aboard (diplomatic posts abroad) via meetings with young diplomats and visits by the Vice-Presidents. It also develops relationships with international organisations, such as the IMF, the OECD, the European Commission, as well as with the public authorities concerned by the Council s activities in order to integrate in their analysis the specificities of the Belgian socio-economic model.
Strategy note > page 9 The Secretariat s work method ESTABLISHING NETWORKS The Council s Secretariat is a small team. Its objective consists in collecting existing information, promoting the dissemination of information that is useful in the areas involved in its work and providing a forum for exchanges between producers and users of information. For that purpose, the Secretariat endeavours to establish networks which help it to liaise with the public authorities, permanent representations to the European Union and Belgian representatives within international bodies; it is at this level that the technical, institutional and political aspects of issues are conducted. The establishment of these networks also involves: - universities, the National Bank of Belgium and the Federal Planning Bureau 1, which have substantial research capacities; - international networks (the European Commission, the OECD and the IMF) and national European networks (contact with foreign national administrations, etc.); - more traditional information sources (books, studies, Internet); - the regional economic and social councils. It is indispensable to ensure consistency between all policies in order to renew the socio-economic compromise; however, in the State s federal structure, a large number of competences are exercised at the level of the federated entities, hence the need for collaboration between the various councils; this collaboration is organised on the basis of reciprocity and institutional equality. The structuring of these various networks is intended, in particular, to facilitate the organisation of hearings, seminars and meetings, and to prepare the briefing notes and studies of the Secretariat. THE SECRETARIAT S ADDED VALUE Given the various missions of the Council intended to facilitate a socio-economic compromise and to draw up socio-economic policy recommendations, the Secretariat s added value lies in its capacity to: - manage and summarise information according to its informative value for the social partners; - structure the information collected to support the discussions between the social partners on the elaboration of the country s socio-economic policy; - translate the scientific and administrative work into simple language; - write study notes to inspire the subcommitees work. 1 At least once a year, the Federal Planning Bureau submits a report to the Central Economic Council and the National Labour Council on its studies on the medium-term evolution of the economy. At the request of the legislative chambers, the Central Economic Council or the National Labour Council, it may carry out any other form of evaluation of economic, social or environmental policies determined by the federal authority
page 10 > Strategy note The Organisation of the Secretariat THE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT The Research Department is organised into seven different units managed by seven heads of unit who are responsible for organising the work, as well as integrating and supporting the Secretariat staff. The units are composed of staff members who are responsible for a project (the secretariat of a subcommittee, preparing reports, briefing notes, etc.) in connection with the subjects dealt with by the unit. The objective of the units is to give all staff members the possibility to develop their aptitudes, promote exchanges of information and knowledge between members of the unit and to encourage group work and team spirit in the implementation of a given project. - The European Policy Unit: This unit keeps staff members informed about the European aspects of the issues with which they deal; it follows the activities of the European Commission, the Parliament and the Council of the European Union; it helps to integrate European policy elements in the elaboration of a socio-economic compromise. - The Sectoral Committees Unit: This unit liaises with the chairs of the special consultative committees, ensures the continuity of the work and the consistency of the activities of the various sectoral committees; it provides input on the main current inter-branch themes and projects for sectoral activities; it follows cyclical developments; it ensures the availability of statistical data and updated the databank. - The Sustainable Development Unit: This unit follows the Council s activities regarding environmental issues, sustainable development, mobility, transport, energy and the regulation of world trade. - The Organisation of the Economy Unit: This unit is responsible for the relevant activities in the framework of the law of 1948 and the royal decree of 27 November 1973 on the regulation of economic and financial information to be provided to works councils, company law, all aspects of economic law and the supervision of the market in goods and services, including competition law. - The Technical Report Unit: This unit coordinates activities relating to the production of the Technical Report.
Strategy note > page 11 The Organisation of the Secretariat - The Labour Market Unit: This unit examines in greater depth labour market issues, such as the formation of wages and income, employment, initial and continuing training, tax on labour, social cohesion and social protection. - The Structural Policy Unit: This unit deals with structural competitiveness, including research and development, innovation, the working of the market in goods and services, the working of network industries. THE COORDINATORS - assist the management in the organisation of the consultations between the social partners, that is to say they are constantly trying to find opportunities to achieve a social compromise both in the implementation and preparation phases; - welcome new staff joining the Secretariat to help them master the competences necessary to perform their duties; - support staff members analysing subjects which fall within the scope of their competences; - are responsible for the transversal coordination of the Secretariat s work in consultation with the management; - coordinate the networks in their field of activity; - disseminate information within the unit; - promote communication and team spirit between staff members. THE SCIENTIFIC STAFF - act as the secretariat for the committees and sub-committees; - are responsible for the follow-up of subjects discussed within the Council; - draw up briefing notes and reports, including the economic analysis of the subjects discussed within the Council for economic and social policy needs; - develop a network within the scientific world. THE SECRETARIAT OF THE MANAGEMENT AND THE UNITS - manages the Council s agenda; - provides administrative support for the activities of the units in accordance with the procedures set out in the administrative guide; - provides administrative support for the activities of the Council s bodies; - acts as the secretariat for internal working groups.
page 12 > Strategy note The Organisation of the Secretariat THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT MANAGES INFORMATION FLOWS - is responsible for the working of the documentation centre; - is responsible for the Council s means of communication (monthly newsletter, annual report, management of the Internet site, other publications); - ensures that the Secretariat staff take account of the communication objectives and that they exchange and store information; - draws up the communication strategy; - promotes the use of simple, educational language in the Secretariat s documents; - is responsible for media contacts. LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT - is responsible for the internal and external translation of documents; - helps to improve the quality of the language in the Secretariat s documents by providing assistance to the scientific staff. THE FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT AND THE HUMAN RESOURCES & RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - these two departments ensure that the Council has the necessary human, material and financial resources; - the Human Resources & Relations Department is at the service of the Secretariat staff; it promotes a climate which enables the Secretariat staff to fulfil their full potential; - the Financial Department is responsible for the Secretariat s accounting records and controls and audits the Council s expenditure; - the management of the premises (technical service and maintenance service); - the management of printing and despatching; - the management of supplies.
Strategy note > page 13 The Organisation of the Secretariat THE INTERNAL DEPARTMENT OF PREVENTION AND PROTECTION AT WORK - helps the management and staff implement legal and regulatory provisions regarding the well-being of workers in the performance of their work, as well as all the preventive measures and activities as described in the Royal Decree of 27 March 1998; - prepares meetings of the basic consultation committee which acts as the prevention and protection at work committee and draws up the minutes of these meetings. RECEPTION (MANAGEMENT OF ROOMS, TELEPHONY, CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC) - manages rooms and is responsible for the switchboard and plasma screens; - welcomes members, experts and the public; - is responsible for the surveillance of the premises. WORK METHOD The Secretariat staff members work both autonomously and as members of a team. Thanks to the permanent dissemination of information, staff members are versatile. The special attention paid to training and learning ensures the quality of the Secretariat s work and the ongoing development of the competencies of staff members. A good dialogue and a strong awareness of their responsibilities enable staff members to perform their various tasks both efficiently and effectively.
page 14 > Strategy note Legislation conferring powers to issue opinions 1. 2. 3. 4. Law of 20 September 1948 on the organisation of the economy Founding law, law setting up the Central Economic Council Law of 6 April 1960 on the execution of construction work Power to issue opinions on a list of work considered as construction work Law of 27 July 1962 establishing a participation of employers in the loss suffered by the Belgian State Railways as a result of issuing season tickets to manual workers and employees Power to issue opinions on the price of railways season tickets Law of 12 April 1965 on the transport of gases and other products via pipelines Power to issue opinions on a forward-looking study on the security of natural gas supplies 5. Royal Decree of 27 November 1973 on the regulation of economic and financial information to be provided to works councils Creation of the CCE ad hoc committee and compulsory annual information to be provided by the CCE 6. Law of 17 July 1975 on the accounts of companies Power to issue opinions on accounting systems 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. Law of 28 March 1984 on patents Creation of the CCE Committee on compulsory licences Law of 6 January 1989 on protecting the country s competitiveness Power to issue opinions on competiveness in the event of exceptional circumstances Royal Decree of 30 April 1993 on the composition and working of the CCE Competition Committee Creation of the CCE Competition Committee Law of 22 December 1995 on measures to implement the multi-annual employment plan Power to issue opinions on social accounting Law of 26 July 1996 modernising social security and ensuring the viability of State pension schemes Power to issue opinions on employer social security contributions Law of 26 July 1996 on the promotion of employment and preventative measures to protect competitiveness Technical report on the maximal margins available for wage cost increases and report on employment and wage cost changes
Strategy note > page 15 Legislation conferring powers to issue opinions 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Law of 4 August 1996 on the well-being of workers in the performance of their work Power to issue opinions regarding the communication of basic economic and financial information to the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work in the absence of works councils Royal Decree of 4 August 1996 on social accounting Power to issue opinions on social accounting Cooperation Agreement of 5 May 1998 between the Federal State, the Communities and the Regions on the continuity of anti-poverty policy Power to issue opinions on the report on precarity, poverty, social exclusion and inequality of access to rights Law of 21 December 1998 on product standards intended to promote sustainable means of production and consumption and the protection of the environment and health Power to issue opinions on product standards Law of 29 April 1999 on the organisation of the electricity market Power to issue opinions on a forward-looking study on the security of electricity supplies Code of Company Law of 7 May 1999 Power to issue opinions on accounting systems Law of 24 December 1999 to promote employment Power to issue opinions on first job contracts Law of 22 May 2001 on schemes for the participation of workers in the capital and profits of companies Power to issue opinions on the group concept in the framework of the introduction of a financial participation plan Programme-Law of 24 December 2002 Evaluation of wage development and efforts regarding training and jobs. In the event of a negative evaluation, the amount of the reduction of social security contributions may be cut. Programme-Law of 8 April 2003 Power to issue opinions on the collection of data concerning travel by workers between their home and place of work Law of 23 December 2005 on the solidarity pact between generations Power to issue opinions on adjustments to well-being and the connection with well-being Royal Decree of 11 October 2007 introducing an additional employer contribution to finance paid education leave for employers in sectors which make insufficient training efforts pursuant to article 30 of the law of 23 December 2005 on the solidarity pact between generations Power to issues opinions on the list of sectors whose training efforts are insufficient