One-way street to the European Union? Between national and EU-level social dialogue 20 years after eastward EU enlargement

This article assesses perceptions among national and EU-level social partners of developments in social dialogue since the EU accession of Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries 20 years ago. The analysis evaluates the processes, structures and outcomes of interactions between social partners from CEE countries and the EU level. Social partners from CEE countries see the benefits of interaction with and exposure to EU-level social dialogue. On the other hand, their underdeveloped national structures for tripartite dialogue and sectoral bargaining pose a substantial barrier to capacity building and to voicing their interests at the EU level, undermining their legitimacy in EU-level structures. Even 20 years after enlargement, there is a perceived duality and internal competition between ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ social partners at the EU level, criticisms of the ability of EU-level social dialogue structures to deliver effective outcomes, and a diversity of actors’ preferences concerning binding and non-binding provisions.