EU Social Dialogue Committee in the Audiovisual Sector adopts Joint Declaration in Warsaw

JOINT PRESS RELEASE

At the conclusion of a Conference on Social Dialogue in the audiovisual sector in Warsaw on 5-7 May 2006, ACT, AER, CEPI, EBU and FIAPF representing the employers' organizations and EURO-MEI, FIA, FIM and IFJ representing the workers’ organisations jointly adopted a declaration encouraging social dialogue at the European level and stressing the key importance of training in a fast evolving audiovisual sector.

The Conference entitled "The Audiovisual Industry on the Move - Social Dialogue as a tool to tackle changing environments", was organised by the EU Committee in the Audiovisual Sector with the support of the European Commission. The event attracted nearly 150 representatives of the social partners from not only Western Europe but also the new EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

The event was opened by Mr Miroslav Kochalski, Acting Mayor of Warsaw, as well as Mr Krzyzstof Olendzki, the Under Secretary of State, and by Mr. Jean-Marie Cavada, MEP, and key-note speaker on “the Future of the Audiovisual Sector in Europe”.

A presentation was made on the preliminary results of a study on the situation of social dialogue in the audiovisual sector in the new EU Member States and candidate countries. The Conference provided the opportunity for exchanges not only between employers' and employees' organizations from television, film and radio, but also between partners from the "old" and "new" EU Member States on a variety of issues ranging from “social dialogue in practice”, “setting up effective social dialogue”, training, free-lance and “defending and promoting the audiovisual sector”.

The principal outcome of the Conference however was the adoption of a joint declaration by the employers' and employees' organizations which encourages social dialogue at the European level and stresses the importance of training in the audiovisual sector.

Note to the editor :
ACT – Association of Commercial Television
AER – Association Européenne des Radios
CEPI – Coordination Européenne des Producteurs Indépendants
FIAPF - Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films
EBU - European Broadcasting Union

EURO- MEI
FIA - Fédération Internationale des Acteurs
IFJ - International Federation of Journalists
FIM - Fédération Internationale des Musiciens


Contacts:
For workers organisations:
Johannes Studinger
Deputy Director - Coordinator of the EU Social dialogue Committee in the Audiovisual Sector
UNI-MEI
31, rue de l'Hôpital
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
tel.: +32 (2) 234.56.52 - fax: +32 (2) 235.08.61
[email protected]  - http://www.union-network.org/mei  

For employers organisation:
Nathalie Piaskowski
Legal adviser - Coordinator of the EU Social Dialogue Committee in the Audiovisual Sector
European Broadcasting Union
Case postale 45 - CH -1218 Grand-Saconnex GE
tel.: +41.22.717.25.19 - fax: +41.22.717.24.70
[email protected]  - http://www.ebu.ch