The launching of the ESSDE was an historical event as it brought the largest public sector in Europe into the European Social Dialogue system, making the social partners co-legislators for their professional area at European level.

Related topics

Related news

The context for the 2024-2026 joint Work Programme

Our goals 

Since the creation of our European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee for Education (ESSDE) on 11 June 2010, the two European sectoral social partners, ETUCE and EFEE, respectively representing the workers and the employers’ sides, have been dedicated to enhancing the quality of education in Europe. Our primary focus has been on modernizing the education sector, improving leadership style and the conditions for teaching personnel, and creating a working environment conducive to the recruitment and retention of quality teaching professionals. We are firmly committed to continuing our efforts in several key areas, despite the support from the European Commission to the ESSDE being limited by the cuts applied to the budget dedicated to supporting EU sectoral social dialogue.  

We strive to enhance the status and attractiveness of the teaching profession, emphasizing continuous professional development, teamwork, aspiration, and good working conditions. Our aim is to promote diversity in career opportunities and mobility for education personnel while fostering an innovative approach to teaching and learning. We also place significant emphasis on promoting gender equality in education and creating inclusive, safe, and healthy working environments that allow education professionals to flourish, thus benefiting the students they serve. To achieve these objectives, sound, effective and sustained public investments are crucial for the development of equitable, quality, and sustainable education systems. 

The importance of social partners in education 

A strong, constructive and continuous dialogue between social partners within the education sector is essential for sustainable improvements, and it is actively encouraged in the development, monitoring, and evaluation of education policies and reforms. In this regard, the endorsement and implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, and the adoption of the Council Recommendation “Strengthening social dialogue in the European Union” [C/2023/1389] and the Communication of the Commission “Strengthening social dialogue in the European Union: harnessing its full potential for managing fair transitions” [COM(2023) 40 final] are pivotal, as they seek to promote social dialogue and collective bargaining while enhancing the capacity of trade unions and employer organizations at both EU and national levels. In the context of a reorganization of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue, ETUCE and EFEE deem it essential to enhance the European Commission’s current institutional and financial role in support of sectoral social dialogue at EU level.  

As European Social Partners in Education, we are committed to strengthening our efforts by enhancing the capacity and potential of our social dialogue at local, regional, and European levels. We aim to explore how social dialogue can contribute to co-creation of new policy directions and participate fully in European social and economic governance mechanisms, such as the European Semester and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Ensuring that the voices of teachers, trainers, school leaders, researchers, academics, and other education personnel, as well as education authorities, are equally heard in the policy sphere is a priority. Furthermore, the ESSDE actively plans to contribute to the European Education Area 2030 goals, and to continue playing an active role in the future education and training policy groups of the European Commission within the framework of the Open Method of Cooperation and enhanced EU cooperation. 

Realising our ambitions requires a focus on quality and inclusive public education with a future-oriented, sustainable approach. The green and digital transitions impact on all actors in the education sector – necessitating adaptation in educational management, teaching and learning methods – and on the way trade unions and employers operate and interact. Adapting to these changes while holding on to our core values will be crucial to meeting the labour market demands of the 21st century and to promoting relevant and efficient social dialogue.  

Duration 

This work programme covers a three-year period, from January 2024 until December 2026. ETUCE and EFEE commit to carrying out a mid-term review of this work programme in order to assess the opportunity to include additional topics to the present text.

ESSDE Work Programme 2024-2026 EN FR

The context for the 2022-2023 joint Work Programme. 

2022 marks the special commitment for the European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education (ESSDE) Work Programme  developed in the pandemic and recovery context. The European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE) have decided to tackle new and future challenges, offering a long-term vision for their joint action. A strong dialogue between social partners in the education sector based on good will and mutual trust is key to achieving quality education that is future proof. This is even more important as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic causes an unprecedented health, social and economic crisis. At the heart of the social partners’ joint work over the next period will be 9 specific topics: quality investment in education and training; social dialogue and capacity building; attractiveness of the teaching profession; digitalisation and innovation in education; occupational health and safety; education for environmental sustainability; inclusion, equality and democratic citizenship in education and training; quality and inclusiveness of VET and apprenticeships; higher education and research. 

The concern of the social partners in education is to achieve a meaningful impact on the mission to assure quality education for all in light of national and European Recovery and Resilience policies. Emphasising the importance of addressing environmental sustainability and equipping people with the awareness and tools for environmental sustainability, the social partners intend to challenge climate emergency for a green and fair transition, also addressing economic change, gender equality and social inclusion. The growing diversity of European society requires inclusion, equality and democratic issues be brought to the forefront, exploring a possible joint effort to co-create new policy directions and to fully contribute to the European social and economic governance mechanisms. 

In order to make these ambitions a reality, teachers, trainers, school leaders, researchers, academics and other education personnel, as well as education authorities’ voices should all be heard in the policy sphere. The effort of the joint project for enhanced attractiveness of the teaching profession is also connected to this general purpose, starting from the consideration for the status and important role of the teaching profession for society.  

Finally, the ESSDE Work Programme interfaces with the development of the European Education Area, within the framework of the most recent implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals on Education and Training and of the European Pillar of Social Rights through the Open Method of Cooperation. 

ESSDE Work Programme 2022-2023 EN FR

The context for the 2020-2021 joint Work Programme

The year 2020 is a special year for the partners of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education (ESSDE), the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and the European Federation of Education Employers (EFEE). Firstly, it marks the 10 years jubilee of the ESSDE, launched in 2010, under the Articles 154-155 of the TFEU. Secondly, 2020 is the year in which the new European Commission has launched its ambitious goal to create “A Union that strives for more”. For ETUCE and EFEE it is clear that a strong European Sectoral Social Dialogue in Education has a key-role to play in addressing the challenges of today’s society for environmental sustainability, digital competences; and above all, towards a strong social and cohesive Europe. Of utmost importance for ETUCE and EFEE within the 2020-2021 Work Programme of the ESSDE partners is the contribution to achieving Principle 1 of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) and Goal 4 of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as it sets the targets to reach high quality education, especially through the European Semester.

This is all the more important at the time that COVID-19 outbreak causes an unprecedented health, social and economic crisis, with dramatic repercussions on students as well as education personnel and authorities.

The ESSDE partners are to continue to work together to continue progressing towards an effective and efficient social dialogue, grounded in a stronger commitment of its members to reach meaningful results for an attractive teaching profession which are valuable both at European and at national, regional and local level, and are based on clear objectives, mutual trust, respect and cooperation.

ESSDE Work Programme 2020-2021 EN FR

The context for the 2018-2019 joint Work Programme

Embracing the recent commitment of the EU to deepening social dialogue as central to the delivery of social rights,  in particular to implement the right to quality and inclusive education for all, included as first principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights endorsed by the European leaders in November 2017. As European social partners in education we recognise the vital need to continuously promote the ESSDE potentials and to further develop our social dialogue aiming at meaningful outcomes which are valuable both at European and at national level, regional and local level. To this end, we deem it important to consider in our work the impact of economic, social and demographic developments on the education sector, as regards, for example, the need for inclusive education and the integration of migrants and refugees, investment patterns, open an innovative education and the attractiveness of the teaching profession based on quality jobs and on an enhanced professional profile. Herewith, we take also in consideration the agenda of the European Commission in the field of education, employment and social affairs, including all the EU efforts to actively support Member States in improving the quality of education and training in line with the global sustainable development agenda for 2030 and the European Semester. In all our work we keep in mind the gender equality principle.

The European social partners in Education will consequently continue to keep in close and frequent contact to ensure that - where it is appropriate to do so - they lobby the European Commission and other organisations jointly.

ESSDE Work Programme 2018-2019 EN FR

ESSDE meetings 2018-2019

In total 4 meetings per year will be organised: one Steering Committee meeting, two Working Group meetings and one Plenary meeting. For 2018 the following dates have been selected:

  • 29 January 2018: Steering Committee meeting
  • 27 April 2018: Working Group meeting on innovative teaching and learning in the 21st century and education investment patterns
  • 24 September 2018: Working Group meeting on Higher Education and Research
  • 19 November 2018: Plenary meeting

The context for the 2016-2017 joint Work Programme

As European social partners in Education, we deem it important to consider in our work the impact of economical, social and demographic developments on the education sector and to continue to focus our joint work on topics that have sufficient common ground for discussion and for initiatives with a clear added value for cooperation at European level.  Herewith we take also in consideration the agenda of the European Commission in the field of education, employment and social affairs, in particular the work of DG Education and Culture and DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. We wish to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education in Europe thereby focusing on the modernisation of the education sector, its managements and its teaching personnel. In all our work we keep in mind the gender equality principle.

The European social partners in Education will consequently continue to keep in close and frequent contact to ensure that - where it is appropriate to do so - they lobby the European Commission and other organisations jointly.

ESSDE Work Programme 2016-2017 EN FR

ESSDE meetings 2016-2017

In total 4 meetings per year will be organised: one Steering Committee meeting, two Working Group meetings and one Plenary meeting. For 2016 the following dates have been selected:

  • 18 January 2016: Steering Committee meeting
  • 3 June 2016: Working Group meeting on Higher Education and Research
  • 30 September 2016: Working Group meeting on migrants' integration and preventing radicalization of young people
  • 8 November 2016: Plenary meeting
  • 24 January 2017: Steering Committee meeting
  • 31 March 2017: Working Group meeting on Higher Education and Research
  • 25 September 2017: Working Group meeting on VET and Apprenticeship, inclusive education and the European Semester on education and training

The context for the 2014-2015 joint Work Programme

The European social partners in Education have been concerned about the current economic and social situation in Europe that remains critical; they want to continue to focus our joint work on topics that have sufficient common ground for discussion and for initiatives with a clear added value for cooperation at European level. They wish to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education in Europe thereby focusing on the modernisation of the education sector, its managements and its teaching personnel. In all our work we need to keep in mind the gender equality principle.

The European social partners in Education will consequently continue to keep in close and frequent contact to ensure that where it is appropriate to do so they lobby the European Commission and other organisations jointly.

The joint work programme for 2014-2015 combines continuation of work already started and new work. The overview summarises the themes, methodology, schedule and possible outcomes.

ESSDE Work Programme 2014-2015 EN FR

ESSDE meetings 2014-2015

Four meetings (or Working Groups) will be organised during the current work program period: two in 2014 and two in 2015. The first meeting took take place on 4 April 2014. During this event an update was given on the development of the activities listed in the detailed Work Programme below. Furthermore a range of topics was discussed (see 3rd block of the WP). This first meeting was open to all EFEE and ETUCE members. The second WG took place on 29 September 2014. This WG has been reserved for EFEE/ ETCUCE members dealing with Higher Education and Research. During this meeting an update will be given on the first findings of the project on "Supporting early career researchers in Higher Education in Europe". Other topics are also scheduled.

ESSDE Work Programme 2020-21

ESSDE Work Programme 2018-19

ESSDE Work Programme 2016-17

ESSDE Work Programme 2014-15

ESSDE Work Programme 2012-13

ESSDE Work Programme 2010-11