Summary of Annals of the European Convention of Employer’s Alliances

The second European Convention of Employers’ Alliances was held on 22 February 2008 in Brussels, at the Committee of the Regions, in the presence of the EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunity, Mr Vladimir Špidla, and the President of the Committee of the Regions, Mr Luc Van Den Brande.

The convention was a real success, launching the creation of the European Employers’ Alliances Resource Centre (EEARC).

The creation of such a centre at the European level offers a new possibility for enlarging the network of Employers’ Alliances to other regions of Europe, and perhaps in time to every region of Europe.

The will to disseminate the innovative form of collective organisation of work based on solidarity, embodied by the Employers’ Alliances, is particularly relevant considering the advantages it offers. Employers’ Alliances present a number of characteristics which correspond to all the common principles for flexicurity defined by the European Commission.

They reconcile one-off needs for skills required for the development of businesses – flexibility – with employment stability and employees’ professional development – security. Employers’ Alliances can therefore be considered a “tool for flexicurity”.