Central Economic Council to incorporate representatives of non-profit sector

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Belgium's Central Economic Council unanimously adopted an opinion in July 1998, accepting membership of representatives of the voluntary and social services sector - the "non-profit sector".

In an opinion adopted on 2 July 1998 in response to a government request, the Central Economic Council (Conseil Central de l'Economie/Centrale Raad voor het Bedrijfsleven) unanimously agreed that representatives of the non-profit sector should be accepted as members. The Council is a public body made up of representatives of trade unions and employers' organisations, plus independent experts, presided over by an independent chair. Its function is to submit opinions to the government on issues relating to the Belgian economy, in particular on employment relations and on the economic and social policies of the public authorities.

In its opinion, the Council stresses the role of the non-profit, voluntary and social service sector - which represents about 400,000 jobs - in the Belgian economy. In the past, representation of this very mixed sector has presented problems. On the one hand, the employers have had great difficulty in agreeing the formation of a representative organisation (BE9711118F). On the other hand, employers in the private sector regarded with suspicion the arrival of a subsidised sector that would have influence, for instance, over setting pay in the private sector. That is why further negotiations have to be held to determine the powers of the different categories of employer.

For their part, workers in the voluntary and social services have for a long time mounted campaigns to obtain professional recognition and improve their working conditions (BE9804233F).

The National Labour Council (Conseil National du Travail/Nationale Arbeidsraad), another joint body responsible, amongst other areas, for drafting national intersectoral collective agreements, had already accepted the non-profit sector as an associated member.

The integration of the non-profit sector into the Central Economic Council entails amendment of the Organisation of the Economy Act of 20 September 1948. The Council will now contain equal numbers of members of "organisations representing industry, agriculture, trade, the craft industry and the non-profit sector" and of "organisations representing workers".

Reference: "Les relations collectives du travail en Belgique. Acteurs et institutions", E Krzeslo, Dossier TEF-ULB No. 16 (1996).