Broughton, Andrea

Social partner and institutional initiatives aimed at raising the profile of fundamental civil and social rights and enshrining them in some form of European consolidated basic text, have been underway for many years, although this issue has recently gained a particularly high profile.

On 13 October 1999, the European Commission adopted a draft Communication (COM (1999) 476 final) [1] to the EU Member States on a new anti-discrimination initiative - EQUAL. The initiative aims to combat labour market discrimination based on gender, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, sexual orientation and low qualifications, and has been launched within the framework of the European employment strategy, which is assessed by the Commission each year (EU9909187F [2]). [1] http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/general/com99-476/equal_en.pdf [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-business/commission-assesses-progress-of-employment-strategy

On 2-3 September 1999, the European Trade Union Federation - Textiles Clothing and Leather (ETUF-TCL) adopted guidelines on collective bargaining coordination, in the form of an internal sectoral protocol. The guidelines constitute the latest step towards the promotion of social dialogue and the coordination of collective bargaining policy in the sectors covered by ETUF-TCL. European-level social dialogue in these sectors has so far resulted in developments such as a code of conduct on minimum human rights at work (EU9709150N [1]) and a charter on child labour (EU9810131F [2]). [1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/social-partners-in-the-textiles-industry-sign-first-european-code-of-conduct [2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-working-conditions/social-partners-in-footwear-sector-extend-charter-on-child-labour-to-cover-retail