1. THE SOCIAL DIALOGUE INSIDE THE EUROPEAN SYSTEM OF CENTRAL BANKS By Thierry Desanois President

2. First contacts with A. Lamfalussy, EMI’s President February1997 The European Monetary Institut considered that it was not submitted to any legal obligation regarding social dialogue or negotiation. However, being conscious of the impact that the setting up of the future European System of Central Banks was going to have, the EMI ’s officers proposed to clarify all the questions

3. First contacts with Mr. W. Duisenberg Mr. Duisenberg made the clear distinction between the establisment of a social dialogue and the creation of a negotiation body. He informed the SCECBU that, considering the autonomy with which the European Central Bank had been endowed by the Maastricht Treaty, the question of negotiation should be more deeply examinated. December1997

4. Standing Committee’s basic principles for a real Social Dialogue In this document, the SCECBU proposed the constitution of a Committee for a structured social dialogue (mutual information, consultation and dialogue for finding common interests). The Committee would be represented by appointed National Central Bank and ECB’s staff representatives and also by three delegates, each one representing the SCECBU, the Euro-FIET and the EPSU, respectively. August1998

5. Official negotiation meeting On ECB’s side, a vague text was proposed that only contained some general principles; the trade union organisations referred to the basic principles sent in August 1998 (non-restrictive list of discussion topics), emphasised on the protection of the delegates participating in the social dialogue and demanded that the European Central Bank supported the participation expenses. The positions of the European Central Bank and some union organisations were very different on some issues: December1998

6. A draft agreement approved by the Executive Commission of SCECBU The Executive Commission approved the draft agreement against a certain number of amendments, notably on the confidentiality of the received information, the number of delegates (it was proposed to add the three contact persons of the European trade union organisations to the 30 delegates foreseen in the pre- agreement) and, above all, that the list of the topics to be discussed would also include the opinions on the financial situation of the European System of Central Banks. February1999

7. Signature of the ESCB Social Dialogue The meeting didn't take place with the President of the ECB, who was not available due to lack of time, but with the Vice-President, Mr. Christian Noyer. The last disagreements were finally solved and the Social Dialogue was solemnly signed on December 3, 1999. December1999

8. December1999 ESCB SOCIAL DIALOGUE

9. 1999 CONTACT PERSONS 1 1 1 STANDING COMMITTEE OF EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK UNIONS UNION NETWORK INTERNATIONAL - FINANCE EUROPEAN PUBLIC SERVICE UNIONS 1.Agenda for the ESCB Social Dialogue meetings 2.Preparatory meeting of ESCB Social Dialogue 3.Plenary meeting of ESCB Social Dialogue 4.ESCB Social Dialogue conclusions + AUSTRIA DENMARK FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY GREECE IRELAND ITALY LUXEMBURG NETHERLANDS BELGIUM PORTUGAL SPAIN U. KINGDOM E.C.B. SWEDEN 2 2 1 1 4 4 2 1 3 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 30 SEATS FOR 15 CENTRAL BANKS + 1 SEAT FOR THE ECB 31 SEATS FOR 36 TRADE UNIONS =

10. With the 10 new EU countries, a renegotiation regarding the number of seats in the ESCB social dialogue urged. January2004 Renegotiation of the agreement protocol

11. 2006 AUSTRIA DENMARK FINLAND FRANCE GERMANY GREECE IRELAND ITALY LUXEMBURG NETHERLANDS BELGIUM PORTUGAL SPAIN U. KINGDOM E.C.B. SWEDEN 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 2 + MALTACZECH REP. POLAND CYPRUSHUNGARY SLOVAKIA ESTONIA LITHUANIASLOVENIA LATVIA 43 SEATS FOR 25 CENTRAL BANKS & ECB 2 11 1 221 11 2 3 contact persons

12. E.S.C.B.S.D.

13. E.S.C.B.S.D. ESCB NEWSLETTERS 2 papers / years