Information and training measures for workers' organisations

ExpectedOutcome :

This call aims at strengthening the capacity of workers' organisations to address, at EU/transnational level, challenges related to changes in employment and work and social dialogue.

Definitions used in the context of this call:

a) “Social partner organisation” is either an organisation representing workers – often also referred to as "trade union" – or an organisation representing employers. They engage in some form of "social dialogue", discussing and often negotiating such issues as wages, working conditions, training, etc.

b) European-level social partner organisations (or “European-level social partners”): either organisations that are consulted in accordance with Article 154 TFEU or other European social partner organisations fulfilling the definition of social partner organisations representing workers (also referred to as trade union) or employers at regional, national or European level that are engaged in "social dialogue" i.e. the discussion and negotiation of wages, working conditions, training, etc. that are not included in this list, but which: (1) demonstrate that they represent several national social partners (fulfilling as well the definition above); (2) have a mandate of these organisations to engage in social dialogue at European level on their behalf; and (3) are involved in the preparation and functioning of European social dialogue at sector level.

Scope :

Actions that address the following themes will be particularly welcome:

• modernisation of the labour market, job creation and youth employment, employment in SMEs;
• new forms of work, including platform work;
• quality of work, anticipation, preparation and management of change and restructuring;
• digitalisation of the economy and society (including artifical intelligence);
• transition to a climate-neutral economy;
• skills development including re- and upskilling; skills intelligence;
• intra-EU labour mobility, migration; youth employment, health and safety at work, modernisation of social protection systems;
• reconciliation of work and family life, gender equality, action in the field of anti-discrimination, healthier and longer working lives, active inclusion and decent work,
• tackling the employment, social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 crisis and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and the particular role of workers’ organisations / social partners, in this respect.

Actions are also expected to contribute to the priorities and activities of European social dialogue, including those laid down in the work programmes of the EU cross-industry and sectoral social dialogue committees, as well as those that form part of the June 2016 Statement of the Presidency of the Council, the European Commission and the European social partners on "a new start for social dialogue". In that context, particular emphasis is put on strengthening collective bargaining, including on minimum wage, and the involvement of social partners in the European Semester and enhancing their contribution to EU policy making.

Measures which contribute to addressing the employment, social and economic challenges as identified in the European Pillar of Social Rights will also be particularly welcome.

Expected Impact :

Proposals are expected to contribute to strengthening the capacity of workers’ organisations to address, at EU/transnational level, challenges related to changes in employment and work and social dialogue. They should further contribute to the promotion of social dialogue at cross-industry and sectoral level in accordance with Article 154 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), and to the development of European social dialogue in its different dimensions of information exchange, consultation, negotiation and joint action. Their impact can also consist in a strengthened capacity of national social partners following the Covid crisis.

Expected results consist in improved expertise for workers' representatives for participation in European social dialogue, better understanding of issues discussed in European social dialogue, sharing of ideas/experience on European social dialogue as well as improving the capacity of workers' organisations.

1. Eligible countries : as described in the Call document.

EU Member States and in some cases from the European Economic Area (EEA) countries, in accordance with the EEA Agreement.

Non-EU countries (not for coordinator and single applicant): Candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine

2. Eligibility and admissibility conditions: (see Call document for details):

Applications must be submitted before the call deadline and electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal Electronic Submission System. Paper submissions are NOT possible.

Proposals (including annexes and supporting documents) must be submitted using the forms provided inside the Submission System. No modification to the format of these documents is allowed.

Proposals must be complete and contain all the requested information and all required annexes and supporting documents:

• • Application Form Part A
• • Application Form Part B
• • Mandatory annexes and supporting documents (as PDF files)

At proposal submission, you will have to confirm that you have the mandate to act for all applicants. Moreover you will have to confirm that the information in the application is correct and complete and that the participants comply with the conditions for receiving EU funding (especially eligibility, financial and operational capacity, exclusion, etc). Before signing the grant, each beneficiary and affiliated entity will have to confirm this again by signing a declaration of honour (DoH). Proposals without full support will be rejected.

Your application must be readable , accessible and printable .

Proposals are limited to 70 pages (Part B). Evaluators will not consider any additional pages.

3. Evaluation (see Call document for details)

The award criteria for this call are as follows:

• Relevance: clarity and consistency of project, objectives and planning; extent to which they match the themes and priorities and objectives of the call; European/trans-national dimension; impact/interest for a number of countries (EU or eligible non-EU countries); possibility to use the results in other countries; potential to develop mutual trust/cross-border cooperation (Max. 30 points)

• Quality:

• Project design and implementation: logical links between the identified problems, needs and solutions proposed (logical frame concept); methodology for implementing the project (concept & methodology, management, procedures, timetable, risks & risk management, monitoring and evaluation); feasibility of the project within the proposed time frame; cost effectiveness (sufficient/appropriate budget for proper implementation; best value for money) (Max. 25 points)

• Project team and cooperation arrangements: quality of the consortium and project teams (in the case of sole applicant : quality of the internal working arrangements); appropriate procedures and problem-solving mechanisms for cooperating within the project teams and/or consortium (Max. 25 points)

• Impact: ambition and expected long-term impact of results on target groups; appropriate dissemination strategy for ensuring sustainability and long-term impact; sustainability of results after EU funding ends (Max. 20 points)

4. Indicative timetable for evaluation and grant agreement: as described in the Call document.

5. Proposal templates, guidance and model grant agreements (MGA):

Standard proposal template: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/temp-form/af/af_esf-socpl_en.pdf

Call document: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/socpl/wp-call/2023/call-fiche_socpl-2023-info-wk_en.pdf

Mono/Multi-beneficiary Model Grant Agreement: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/common/agr-contr/general-mga_esf-socpl_en.pdf

Information session concerning the Calls for proposals on Social Dialogue: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=1492&furtherNews=yes&newsId=10225