European social dialogue refers to discussions, consultations, negotiations and joint actions involving organizations representing the two sides of industry (employers and workers). Social dialogue at all levels is a prerequisite for the functioning of Europe’s social market economy and crucial to promote both competitiveness and fairness. The construction sector provides 14,8 million direct jobs and contributes to about 9% of the EU‘s GDP. It also creates new jobs, drives economic growth, and provides solutions for societal, climate and energy challenges.

SUSODCO project context and description

The social dialogue (SD) partners in the construction industry from Central (Slovenia, Hungary), Southeastern (Croatia, Bulgaria) and Southern Europe (Cyprus, Greece) willing and committed to collaborate more actively through a consortium, have decided, on the basis of the preliminary made research showing common challenges and issues, to apply for a new EU project (SuSodCo) focused in social dialogue topics, which are aimed at reinforcement and capacity building of firstly national sectoral SD and secondly in more active contribution to the ESD. The project SuSodCo focuses in capacity building, promotion, visibility and mutual recognition and mutual trust of social dialogue partners in the construction industry from Central and Eastern European and South-eastern Member States. In this framework, the SuSodCo project key objective is to equip national sectoral social dialogue partners with missing key capacities that will enable them to be more engaged in sectoral social dialogue and strengthen their operational functions (capacities) on national level, enable their growth, development and active inclusion sectoral ESD activities.

Taking into account that national social dialogue activities require experts’ support, and include feedback on national and on best SD practices initiatives, on planning and comparison of concepts used, outcomes.