The Role of the Economic and Social Council of Bulgaria for the Development of Civil Dialogue and Ne

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The Role of the Economic and Social Council of
Bulgaria for the Development of Civil Dialogue
and New Forms of Consultations
Lalko Dulevski President of the ESC of Bulgaria
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Prerequisites

• Strong will and support from the social partners
  (trade unions and employers organisations)
• Effectively functioning European Union-Bulgaria
  Joint Consultative Committee
• Economic and Social Council Act adopted in 2001,
  amended in March 2003
• The role of the pre-accession process and
  commitments of the country to establishing the
  democratic institutions of civil society
• Political consensus on the necessity of an
  Economic and Social Council (ESC)

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The beginning

• In July 2003 the Government agreed with the
  nationally representative trade unions and
  employers organisations on the candidacy for
  President of the ESC
• On 17 September 2003, the National Assembly
  elected the President of the ESC upon the
  proposal of the Council of Ministers
• On 10 December 2003 the First Plenary Session of
  the ESC was held

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Structure

• The ESC is built upon the model of the European
  Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
• Membership a President and 36 members divided
  into three groups
• The first group consists of 12 members
  appointed by the governing bodies of the
  nationally representative organisations of
  employers
• The second group consists of 12 members
  appointed by the governing bodies of the
  nationally representative trade unions
• The third group consists of 12 members who
  represent organisations with common
  socio-economic interests, such as organisations
  of craftsmen, people with disabilities, women,
  consumers, agricultural producers and other
• The mandate of the President and the members of
  the ESC is four years

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Structure

• Managing Bodies
• The Plenary Session
• comprised of the members of the ESC and the
  President
• The President
• is in charge of the ESCs activities and
  represents the Council
• The Presidents Board
• comprised of the President and three Vice
  Presidents one for each of the three groups

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Structure

• There are 5 Standing Commissions at the ESC on
• International Co-operation and European
  Integration
• Economic Policy
• Budget, Finances, Insurance, and Social Security
• Income, Living Standards and Industrial Relations
• Social Policy
• When needed, temporary commissions are
  established
• Commissions draw up and adopt draft opinions
• The activities of the ESC are supported by an
  administration, whose structure and functions are
  defined in the Rules of Procedure of the ESC

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Key Work Principles

• Independence
• in the ESC there are no representatives of the
  legislative and executive powers or of other
  state institutions
• the state and municipal bodies are obliged to
  provide the information necessary for the work of
  the ESC (Art.6 of the ESC Act)
• Consensus
• opinions and other acts of the ESC are
  approved by majority of no less than three thirds
  of the members present
• the decisions of the Presidents Board are
  adopted by unanimity
• Equality between the three groups at the ESC
• Cooperation and interaction with the
  institutions of the state power and with the
  other civil organisations which are not
  represented in the ESC

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Working methods

• The ESC is the permanent institutional form of
  civil dialogue and consultations between the
  civil society organisations and the President of
  the Republic, the legislative and executive
  powers
• The key activity is realised through development
  of opinions, analyses and annual memoranda

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Working methods

• The ESC draws up opinions on
• - draft laws, national programmes and plans
• - National Assemblys acts
• - Strategic problems of economic and social
  policy
• The opinions of the ESC are drawn up upon
  proposals of
• - The President of the Republic
• - The Chairman of the National Assembly
• - The Council of Ministers
• - The ESC has the right to draw up opinions on
  its own initiative

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Working methods

• The President of the ESC assigns the proposals
  for developing opinions to the commissions
• The commission appoints a rapporteur and external
  experts
• The commission draws up and adopts the draft
  opinions after consultations with a wide range
  of state institutions and civil organisations
• The Plenary Session adopts the opinions which are
  submitted by the President of the ESC to all
  stakeholders

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New Forms

• Open public discussions and consultations between
  the ESC, on the one hand, and the institutions of
  the legislative and executive powers, on the
  other.
• The discussions and consultations are open to
  civil organisations and the media

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New Forms

• Public discussions and consultations held on
• The Lisbon Strategy of the European Union and the
  policy of the Republic of Bulgaria for achieving
  competitive and prospering economy (with the
  participation of the Chairman of the National
  Assembly, the Deputy Prime Ministers, deputies
  and civil organisations)
• The draft of the four-year governance programme
  of the Government (with the participation of the
  Chairman of the National Assembly, the Prime
  Minister, ministers, deputies, representatives of
  the presidents administration and civil
  organisations)
• The National Development Plan and operative
  programmes (with the participation of the
  Minister of Finance, representatives of five
  ministries and civil organisations)

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New Forms

• Public discussions and consultations held on
• Draft Income Strategy (with the participation of
  the Minister of Labour and Social Policy,
  Minister of Finance and civil organisations)
• Draft National Reform Programme (with the
  participation of the Minister of Finance,
  deputies and civil organisations)
• Measures to improve legal protection of
  consumers(with the participation of Commissioner
  Kuneva, the Head of the Representation of the
  European Commission in Bulgaria H.E. Michael
  Humphreys, representatives of the Ministry of
  Economy and Energy and Ministry of Justice, civil
  organisations)
• Family, good parenting and equal gender
  opportunities (with the participation of the
  Minister of Labour and Social Policy, deputies
  and civil organisations)

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Results (2004 June 2007)

• Over 400 proposals for solutions of strategic
  economic and social issues, adopted by consensus
  by the ESC
• Part of the proposals have been implemented in
• Governance Programme of the Government
• National Demographic Strategy
• National Development Plan
• National Health Strategy
• National Reform Programme
• Draft Laws of the National Assembly
• Establishing the popularity of the ESC in the
  country as the Civil Parliament

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Why did we succeed?

• Very strong will, dialogue and consensus among
  the members of the ESC
• Political consensus in the country on the place
  and role of the ESC
• Support on the part of the institutions in the
  country, of Bulgarian science and Bulgarian civil
  society organisations
• Very close cooperation and support from the EESC

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• Thank you for your attention

More information at www.esc.bg