The Social Policy Agreement signed by eleven Member States has been incorporated into the EC Treaty by the Treaty of Amsterdam, so putting an end to a complex situation. From 1993 to 1999 there were two distinct legal bases for social policy measures: the EC Treaty itself and a separate agreement from which the United Kingdom had opted out. Now all social policy measures can be adopted on the basis of the new Title XI of the EC Treaty.
The objectives set by the Treaty draw on the 1961 European Social Charter and the 1989 Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers. They were already incorporated in the Social Policy Agreement and cover employment promotion, proper social protection, dialogue between management and labour, the development of human resources, and combating exclusion (Article 136).
Depending on the matter in had the Council decides:
•either by the codecision procedure after consulting the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions;
•or unanimously on a Commission proposal after consulting the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
See:
•
Consultation procedure •
Cooperation procedure •
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) •
Qualified majority •
Single institutional framework •
Social Charter •
Social dialogue •
Social Policy Agreement •
Unanimity
