Our Projects
The SDA runs a number of projects financed by EU institutions. Despite their different specific objectives, all these projects are based on the common aim of strengthening and promoting Europe’s social dimension. Projects are submitted by the SDA either mandated by one or more of its members or independently.

Clearly, the most important SDA project to date is the Infopoint project, which provides free support to all social partners on the 04030303 (Information, Consultation and Participation of Representatives of Undertakings) budget line, supported by the European Commission.

For the year 2009, the SDA has been involved in the following projects:

  • Strengthening trade union organization models in Turkey: bank and commerce sectors
    SDA was involved in this project, promoted by the Italian Institute for Trade Union Cooperation for Development ISCOS. Its aim was to reinforce models of union organizing in the workplace in Turkey and enhance the capacity to set up relations with workers in this country. Five trainings were conducted all over Turkey, whose outcome is reported in the evaluation report.

  • “Multinational company restructuring: tackling the impact of the crisis through stronger transnational trade union coordination”
    This project is run in close cooperation with ETUC and the European Industry Federations and funded under the 04.03.03.03 budget heading of the European Commission. The project identifies companies which are faced with restructuring measures due to the crisis in order to support workers representatives and European works councils and to strengthen transnational trade union cooperation. The project finances 32 company-level coordination meetings. It runs from 20 June 2009 until 19 June 2010.
    Background: As an undeniable consequence of the current economic crisis an accelerating pace of company restructuring is expected, which is a major challenge for workers representation, especially in transnational companies. In addition due to the high interdependence of the economy the supply industries will be affected significantly and other factors, such as climate change will have impacts for company policies. All the sectors of the economy have to deal, very often in difficult conditions, with restructuring measures in their various forms: reorganization of production, relocation, mergers, take-overs, outsourcing of activities, dismissals and mass redundancies and so on. The impact for employment and working conditions is significant and a major challenge for workers representatives, European works councils and their trade unions.

  • EWCS – learning and practicing, a project for the European Energy Sector
    In cooperation with the European Federation of Public Service Unions, EPSU, SDA is running a joint project under the 04.03.03.03 budget line for the European Energy Sector. The objectives of the project are to consider European developments in the energy sector and their importance for EWCs. They are enabled to pose relevant questions and prepare information and consultation with the employers. EWCs can exchange experiences and to improve their knowledge and professionalism. One central topic discussed in the project is the involvement of EWCs in corporate social responsibility policies.
    Further Information about the project can be found on the EPSU website:
    http://www.epsu.org/a/6380; http://www.epsu.org/a/6405; http://www.epsu.org/a/6280

For the year 2008, the SDA has been involved in the following projects:

  • SPReW - Generational approach to the social patterns of relation to work
    SPReW is a two-year (2006-2008) research project funded under the EU 6th framework programme (priority 7: Citizens and governance in the knowledge-based society). It aims at examining and providing a better understanding of the factors of solidarity or tensions in intergenerational relations at labour and related levels and analysing the policy challenges and implications of such changes.
    SPReW involves researchers from six countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal) and stakeholders (French Ministry of Labour and Social Development Agency on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation).
    The specific role of SDA in the project is to draft a collection of good policy practices at European as well as at regional level, with an emphasis on the potential positive approaches in this matter.
    In this context, a conference involving the major stakeholders and policy makers both at European and national level will be organized in Brussels in May 2008.
    For further information, like objectives, priorities and modalities, please visit the webpage http://www.ftu-namur.org/sprew/index.html

For the year 2007, the SDA has been involved in the following projects

  • SPReW - Generational approach to the social patterns of relation to work
    SPReW is a two-year (2006-2008) research project funded under the EU 6th framework programme (priority 7: Citizens and governance in the knowledge-based society). It aims at examining and providing a better understanding of the factors of solidarity or tensions in intergenerational relations at labour and related levels and analysing the policy challenges and implications of such changes.
    SPReW involves researchers from six countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal) and stakeholders (French Ministry of Labour and Social Development Agency on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation).
    The specific role of SDA in the project is to draft a collection of good policy practices at European as well as at regional level, with an emphasis on the potential positive approaches in this matter.
    In this context, a conference involving the major stakeholders and policy makers both at European and national level will be organized in Brussels in May 2008.
    For further information, like objectives, priorities and modalities, please visit the webpage http://www.ftu-namur.org/sprew/index.html

  • “Vers l'Europe sociale pour renforcer l'action syndicale en Turquie”(with ETUC mandate and UNI-Europa, TÜRK-İŞ and the Turkish NIC partnership, under 04030302 budget line)

  • Democracy and trade unionism - democratic evolution of unionism in Maghreb and Mashreq countries (under the mandate of ETUC and in partnership with USTMA, EuropeAID budget line).
    SDA, as the promotor, is responsible for the running of this project in close cooperation with USTMA (confederation of Arab Maghreb Trade Unions) and with the ETUC (European Trade Union Confederation). The countries covered by this project are : Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan and Palestinian territories. The project focuses on strictly trade union topics, such as : adaptation of statutes and internal rules, collective bargaining, finances and internal management of trade union organisations, the role of women in trade union organisations, the challenge of trade union pluralism and relations with the press.
    Project's website:
    http://www.euromed-trade-union-forum.org/"

In the year 2006, the SDA has also received financial support by the European Commission to carry out the following projects:

  • SPReW - Generational approach to the social patterns of relation to work
    SPReW is a two-year (2006-2008) research project funded under the EU 6th framework programme (priority 7: Citizens and governance in the knowledge-based society). It aims at examining and providing a better understanding of the factors of solidarity or tensions in intergenerational relations at labour and related levels and analysing the policy challenges and implications of such changes.
    SPReW involves researchers from six countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal) and stakeholders (French Ministry of Labour and Social Development Agency on behalf of the European Trade Union Confederation).
    The specific role of SDA in the project is to draft a collection of good policy practices at European as well as at regional level, with an emphasis on the potential positive approaches in this matter.
    In this context, a conference involving the major stakeholders and policy makers both at European and national level will be organized in Brussels in May 2008.
    For further information, like objectives, priorities and modalities, please visit the webpage http://www.ftu-namur.org/sprew/index.html
  • Promoting young workers interests through social partnership channels – Ukraine. (with ICFTU mandate – since then ITUC, under the EuropAID Ukraine budget line)

  • “European Works Councils of state, municipal and private energy companies facing mergers, restructuring and outsourcing – common perspectives and responses?” (with EPSU mandate, under the 04030303 budget line)

  • Démocratie et syndicalisme, Evolution démocratique du syndicalisme dans les pays du Maghreb et du Mashreq (with ETUC mandate and in partnership with USTMA, under the EuropeAID budget line).
    SDA, as the promotor, is responsible for the running of this project in close cooperation with USTMA (confederation of Arab Maghreb Trade Unions) and with the ETUC (European Trade Union Confederation). The countries covered by this project are : Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan and Palestinian territories. The project focuses on strictly trade union topics, such as : adaptation of statutes and internal rules, collective bargaining, finances and internal management of trade union organisations, the role of women in trade union organisations, the challenge of trade union pluralism and relations with the press.
    Project's website:
    http://www.euromed-trade-union-forum.org/"

  • INFOPOINT « Point d’information et d’observation - infopoint » for the years 2006/2007. (see below).

In 2005-2006, the SDA led the following projects also with the support of the European Commission:

  • “Paths to Progress: mapping innovation on information, consultation and participation” (VS/2005/0260).
    This project is meant to identify new trends and innovations in the management of information, consultation and participation rights and bring them into a wider debate. It is hoped that some of these will be adopted as good practice examples within community-scale undertakings. At the very least, it will also allow a reasoned discussion of such innovations that should identify any potential problems to widening the adoption of approaches identified. The key to the project is the creation of a multidisciplinary ‘innovation group’ of academic specialists to work on these issues. Each will be asked to write an ‘innovation paper’ which will be discussed by the group at two innovation meetings before presenting them at a conference and finally having them included in a publication.

  • “Impact on activity and employment in the EU-25 of climate change and the implementation of policies designed to reduce CO2 emissions” (07-0402/2005/420169/SUB/C2).
    The general aim of the project is to find out how employment, qualifications and vocational training can contribute towards a transition from the economy of a European Union with 25 Member States towards a low-carbon economy that is fair from the workers' point of view. With respect to the expectations and aims set out this project will entail the following activities: Drafting a study divided into two distinct sections: 1) a section entitled "Kyoto", containing an analysis of the implications in terms of employment and qualifications of measures designed to limit CO2 emissions within a sample of 11 of the European Union's 25 Member States; 2) a section entitled "Failure to act", containing an analysis of the impact of climate change and climatic phenomena on activity and employment in the EU-25. The findings of the study will be presented during an information workshop.

  • “Promoting young workers interests through social partnership channels”.
    The project should promote interests of the working youth in the Ukrainian society through mobilising participation of young workers in the processes of social partnership and dialog and through enabling trade union organisations to address specific needs and interests of young workers. By means of various activities – at national (conference, thematic trainings and workshops) and local (enterprise or territorial based raising awareness trainings) level – a group of young trade union leaders will be equipped with skills and knowledge to run workplace based activities and to be able to address young workers’ concerns in different level collective agreements – enterprise, local, branch or national – and to mobilise unions in promoting decent work for young workers.

  • “Training seminar of workers’ representatives of the AXA Group in Europe, in the context of the mergers and restructuring processes faced by the insurance sector” (VS/2005/0560).
    This project aims at bringing together, for the first time in the new mandate of the Group’s European Works Council, the workers’ representatives (operating in Europe) in order to share experiences regarding the functioning and efficiency of the information and consultation processes in the context of mergers and acquisitions. As well as triggering a better communication and a deeper understanding of multicultural aspects among the members of this European body, this initiative will familiarise them with the available European legislative tools. It will help workers’ representatives anticipate changes, foresee future opportunities, and have a clearer definition of all the actors’ roles in cases of mergers and restructuring processes. A best practice guide, which will also include an “alert signals” directory, is to be produced following this seminar.
In 2004-2005, the SDA led the following projects also with the support of the European Commission:

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