Call for Proposals: Social Prerogatives and Specific Competencies Lines (SocPL)

Deadline: 28-Jun-23

The European Commission (EC) is now seeking proposals for the Social Prerogatives and Specific Competencies Lines (SocPL).

Objectives (expected outcome)

This call aims at contributing to the promotion of social dialogue at cross-industry and sectoral level, developing European social dialogue, and building and strengthening the capacity of national social partners, in particular following the Covid crisis. Definitions used in the context of this call:

• “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.
• European-level social partner organisations (or “European-level social partners”): either organisations that are consulted in accordance with Article 154 TFEU (an up-todate list can be found here) 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:
  • Demonstrate that they represent several national social partners;
  • Have a mandate of these organisations to engage in social dialogue at European level on their behalf; and
  • Are involved in the preparation and functioning of European social dialogue at sector level.

Themes and priorities (scope)

This call will be used to finance consultations, meetings, negotiations and other actions, as outlined in the European Commission’s Communication on The European social dialogue, a force for innovation and change (COM (2002)341), the Communication on Partnership for change in an enlarged Europe – Enhancing the contribution of European social dialogue (COM (2004)557) and the Commission Staff Working Document on the Functioning and potential of European sectoral social dialogue (SEC (2010)964).

European social dialogue refers to discussions, consultations, negotiations and joint actions involving organisations representing either side of industry (employers or workers).

Funding Information

• The available call budget is EUR 15 928 154.
• This budget might be increased by maximum 20%.
• The Commission expects to fund between 25 and 40 proposals.

Activities that can be funded (scope)

Actions that address the following themes will be particularly welcome:

• The employment, social and economic challenges as identified in the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan and other key Commission documents, such as the Communications “The European Green Deal” and “A stronger Social Europe for just transitions”;the adaptation of social dialogue, in particular collective bargaining, to changes in employment and work related challenges, such as:
  • Tackling the employment, social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and the particular role of social partners in this respect.
  • Modernisation of the labour market, job creation and job matching, youth employment; employment in SMEs;
  • New forms of work including platform work;
  • Quality of work, including fair working conditions and health and safety at work;
  • Anticipation, preparation and management of change and restructuring; o digitalisation (including artificial intelligence);
  • Transition to a climate-neutral economy;
  • Intra-EU labour mobility, migration and modernisation of social protection systems, including access to social protection for those in non-standard forms of employment;
• Building and strengthening the capacity of social partner organisations.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible participants (eligible countries)
  • In order to be eligible, the applicants (beneficiaries, affiliated entities and associated partners) must:
    • Be legal entities (public or private bodies).
    • Be established and registered in one of the eligible countries i.e.:
      • EU Member State
      • Non-EU countries (not as coordinator or single applicant): Candidate countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine.
  • Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register – before submitting the proposal – and will have to be validated by the Central Validation Service (REA Validation). For the validation, they will be requested to upload documents showing legal status and origin. Other entities may participate in other consortium roles, such as associated partners, subcontractors, third parties giving in-kind contributions, etc.
• Specific cases
  • Exceptional funding – Entities from other countries are exceptionally eligible to participate and receive funding, if the granting authority considers their participation essential for the implementation of the action.
  • Natural persons – Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of selfemployed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
  • International organisations – International organisations are eligible and, they undertake to comply with their obligations under the grant agreement. The rules on eligible countries do not apply to them.
  • Entities without legal personality (including social partner organisations) – Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees for the protection of the EU financial interests equivalent to that offered by legal persons.
  • EU bodies – EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.
  • Associations and interest groupings – Entities composed of members may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’.
  • if the action will be implemented by the members, they should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible).

For more information, visit EC.