DECLARATION
Conference: The Audiovisual Industry on the Move
Social Dialogue as a tool to tackle changing environments
Warsaw, 5-7 May 2006
1. The organizing bodies of the Conference consider that:
1.1 Europe's audiovisual sector, including television, film and radio, is central to cultural diversity, democracy and economic growth within the European Union and its Member States.
1.2 The social partners in the sector have a common interest in fostering the cultural, democratic and economic success of the audiovisual sector throughout the European Union.
1.3 They are committed to growth ensuring vitality and quality in the audiovisual sector.
1.4 Public service and commercial broadcasting, as well as production, are witnessing fundamental changes linked to the development of new technologies. New technologies offer both the opportunity and the need to create and invest into new forms of communication, products and new forms of delivery. With the audiovisual sector undergoing constant change and developing new business models, training is of key importance.
1.5 Effective social dialogue within the European Union at, as appropriate, the national, regional, local and/or company level is important in all matters related to the workforce, including training.
1.6 Effective social dialogue at the European level is facilitated by individual Member States having in place appropriate mechanisms and practices.
1.7 Effective social dialogue requires respect by the EU and the Member States for the traditions of national, regional, local and/or company dialogue.
2. The social partners recognise the principles of ILO conventions 87 and 98 as ratified by the EU member states and implemented under the different national laws.
3. To encourage progress, the organizing bodies of the Conference call on the EU and the Member States to:
3.1 Support effective social dialogue in the audiovisual sector at the European level, as well as within the Member States.
3.2 Encourage any initiatives where necessary and appropriate to help bring about effective social dialogue in the audiovisual sector.
3.3 Offer assistance in establishing bodies independent from the state where required and requested representing the social partners.
3.4 Encourage the social partners to contribute to social dialogue at the European level through the currently recognized channels.
3.5 Provide financial and other support for an exchange of information on procedures and practices among the social partners in the old and new Member States and the candidate countries.
3.6 Provide financial and other support for effective training programmes at European, national, regional, local and company levels.
3.7 Consult the Social Dialogue Committee, as the body representative of the audiovisual sector, on all EU employment and social policy issues which may have a direct or indirect effect on the audiovisual sector.
4. To encourage social dialogue in the audiovisual sector in all EU member states and to facilitate the integration of social partners from new EU member states into the work of the EU Social Dialogue Committee in the Audiovisual Sector and in accordance with the rules establishing the Committee, the organizing bodies of the Conference will:
4.1 Consider the feasibility to organise information sessions following up on the findings of this conference and the project on the functioning of social dialogue in the new EU member states;
4.2 Discuss within the framework of the EU Social Dialogue Committee in the Audiovisual Sector the topics covered by the Green Paper on Labour Law;
4.3 Exchange information on best practices; and
4.4 Continue working on training and new technologies.
Agreed by: Association of Commercial Televisions (ACT), Association of European Radios (AER), European Coordination of Independent Producers (CEPI), International Federation of Film Producers Assocociations (FIAPF), European Broadcasting Union (EBU) , European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), EURO-MEi UNI, International Federation of Actors (FIA), International Federation of Musicians (FIM).
Warsaw, 7 May 2006