The project SSD-SMM: Strengthening social dialogue in the retail, food-processing and agriculture sector in Slovenia, Macedonia and Montenegro was a part of a category Support to European social dialogue and is co-funded by the European Commission.

The aims of the project SSD-SMM were

• Promoting the implementation of the Acquis Communautaire in the area of social dialogue in the FYR Macedonia and Montenegro
• Increase the awareness and understanding of employers and workers representatives of European Social Dialogue
• Adaptation of social dialogue to changes in employment and work and related challenges, such as the modernisation of the labour market, flexicurity, skills, quality of work and decent work
• Strengthen the capacity of social partners in Slovenia, FYR Macedonia and Montenegro to contribute to European Social Dialogue.

Implementation of these activities contributed to improvement of expertise and knowledge in the field of European Social Dialogue in the involved countries (Slovenia, Montenegro and FYR Macedonia). The involved employers' organizations, their branch associations in the agriculture, food-processing and retail, their members as well as their trade union partners increased their expertise and handed on knowledge in this field by the exchange of experiences and know-how in workshops, meetings, the study tour, panel discussions and other national activities, the jointly drafted publication and at the conference.

Deliverables/outputs were

• A publication on social dialogue in the agriculture, food-processing and retail sector in Macedonian and Montenegrin
• websites on (European) social dialogue, changes in employment and work, modernisation of labour market,
• 4 national workshops on European social dialogue in the agriculture and food-processing and retail sector in Macedonia and Montenegro,
• 3 panel discussions on social dialogue and the modernisation of the labour markets,
• study tour visiting social partners representatives in the retail, food-processing and agriculture sector in Slovenia (best practice examples, workshops, meetings),
• final conference on European social dialogue in retail and agriculture sector.

Project partners

• ZDS - Association of Employers of Slovenia
• ORM – Organization of Employers of Macedonia
• UPCG – Montenegrin Employers Federation
• SRTM – Trade Union of the Workers in Trade in Macedonia
• AgroSindikat – Trade Union of Workers from the Agro-industrial complex
• SSCG – Confederation of Trade Unions of Montenegro
• TZS – Slovenian Chamber of Commerce
• ZZS – Co-operative Union of Slovenia
• SDTS – Union of Trade of Slovenia
• KŽI – Trade Union of Agriculture and Food Industry of Slovenia
• COGECA – Committee of Professional Agricultural Organizations
• EuroCommerce – The Retail, Wholesale and International Trade representation to the EU 

Project »SSD-SMM: Strengthening social dialogue in the retail, food-processing and    agriculture sector in Slovenia, Macedonia and Montenegro« is co-funded by the European    Commission.