Publications

An important government bill (/prop.1999/2000:32/), presented to the Swedish
parliament on 9 December 1999, will establish the new National Mediation
Office (Medlingsinstitutet). The bill results from the work of a committee
set up by the government in 1997 with the task of proposing measures leading
to an improved system of pay determination, whereby public mediators would be
given improved opportunities to promote "overall public interests" in
negotiations (SE9812129F [1]).

[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-industrial-relations/committee-proposes-enhanced-authority-for-mediators-and-restrictions-on-right-to-strike

At the beginning of November 1999, the Swedish Construction Federation
(Byggentreprenörerna) handed in an application for summons to the Labour
Court (Arbetsdomstolen AD). The application contains an accusation that the
Swedish Building Workers' Union (Byggarbetarförbundet, Byggnads) is in
breach of the Council of Europe's European Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms [1], specifically the right for an
individual not to join a trade union, the so-called negative freedom of
association, based on Article 11. The Convention was incorporated into
Swedish law in January 1995. The application also refers to Article 5 (on the
right to organise) of the Council of Europe's European Social Charter [2],
point 11 (on freedom of association) of the EU's Community Charter of the
Fundamental Social Rights of Workers and section 8 of the Swedish
Co-Determination in the Workplace Act (medbestämmandelagen)

[1] http://www.coe.fr/eng/legaltxt/5e.htm
[2] http://www.coe.fr/eng/legaltxt/35e.htm

On 19 November 1999, a delayed proposal on unemployment insurance, much
discussed in advance by the social partners, was presented by the Swedish
Ministry for Industry, Employment and Communication (näringsdepartmentet).
About 70 possible changes to the system drawn up by a Ministry working party
were published in a report entitled /Kontrakt för arbete - rättvisa och
tydliga regler i arbetslöshetsförsäkringen/ (/Ds 1999:58/). The main
proposals include:

The Portuguese economy continued to grow, though at a slightly slower rate,
in 1999. GDP grew by 3.1% in 1999 (Ministry of Finance estimate), compared
with 3.9% in 1998 (which had been the peak of a rising trend since 1993, when
a negative figure of -1.2% was recorded). The public spending deficit stood
at 1.8% of GDP in 1999, down from 2.3% in 1998 and 2.5% in 1997 (and
continuing a downward trend from 7.0% in 1993). Public debt stood at 56.8% of
GDP in 1999 (Ministry of Finance estimate), compared with 57.0% in 1998 and
61.4% in 1997 (continuing the decline since the 69.6% recorded in 1994). The
1999 inflation rate was 2.3%, compared with 2.8% in 1998 and 2.2% in 1997 -
inflation figures have been much lower in the past three years than they were
in the early 1990s (when the figure reached 13.4% in 1990).

Portugal transposed the EU European Works Councils Directive (94/45/EC) [1]
into national law through Law no. 40/99 of 9 June 1999. The deadline for
transposition had been September 1996. Luxembourg is now the only EU Member
State which has not yet transposed the Directive (EU9911209N [2]). The
Directive was transposed in Portugal through legislative means, rather than
by negotiation between the social partners (TN9807201S [3]). However, in
extensive debate (PT9901125N [4]), the provisions of the Directive were
thoroughly analysed by the social partners in the Economic and Social Council
(Conselho Económico e Social), and transposition of the Directive was made
one of the objectives of the 1996-9 Strategic Concertation Pact (PT9808190F
[5]). The law was approved by the government in the form of proposed
legislation that was drawn up and submitted to the Legislative Assembly.
There it was put up for public discussion by workers' representatives
exercising their right to participate in the elaboration of labour laws.

[1] http://europa.eu.int/smartapi/cgi/sga_doc?smartapi!celexapi!prod!CELEXnumdoc&lg=en&numdoc=31994L0045&model=guichett
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/ecj-rules-against-luxembourg-for-non-transposition-of-ewcs-directive
[3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/erm/comparative-information/the-impact-of-european-works-councils
[4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/progress-on-transposition-of-european-works-council-directive
[5] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-labour-market/social-partners-evaluate-implementation-of-strategic-concertation-pact

With Portugal taking over the EU Presidency in January 2000, the Portuguese
trade union confederations, CGTP and UGT, have issued a document setting out
their joint position on the social issues that they believe should be
addressed during the Presidency. These include European employment policy,
the basic rights of European citizens, broadening the EU, external relations,
protection of workers, social cohesion and social dialogue in general to meet
the challenge of globalisation of the economy.

Portugal's CGTP trade union confederation held its ninth congress in December
1999. The congress heralded change, in terms of both the issues it dealt with
and the organisational changes agreed.

In November 1999, the social partners in Portugal's large-scale retail
enterprises sector met to discuss proposals for collective agreements for
2000. Items to be addressed include the reduction of working time, weekly
rest periods, limits on "non-standard" employment levels, vocational training
and equal opportunities

In November 1999, a major conference examined social pacts and concertation
in Portugal. The debate covered issues such as the importance to the social
partners of being involved in the process, the use of pacts as a political
tool, the low level of influence pacts have had in changing industrial
relations, and their enormous potential to produce social and macroeconomic
results.

The strong growth in the Norwegian economy that prevailed during much of the
1990s slowed in 1999. GDP growth over the year was 0.9% and for mainland
Norway alone (excluding the offshore sector), GDP growth was 0.5%. This
represented a marked decline in comparison with 1998, which saw GDP growth of
2.1% and 3.3% for mainland Norway.