Social dialogue in the construction sector covers activities related to NACE (Rev.2) codes 41, 42 and 43, which include:
- construction of buildings,
- civil engineering,
- specialized construction activities.
The sectoral social dialogue committee has been created in 1999, replacing the informal working committee previously functioning since 1992.
In 2019, the EU construction sector employed almost 12,7 million persons in around 3,4 million companies, which amounted to about 6.8% of the total EU workforce (Eurofound Representativeness studies, 2024).
The sector faces the following main challenges:
- labour shortages, despite high intra-EU mobility
- competition from third-country companies
- challenges related to certain subcontracting practices
- technological changes and the greening of the economy
- supplying construction materials, notably due to high prices and lengthened deliveries.
Workers' organisations
Employers' organisations
- European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC)
- European Builders Confederation (EBC) - Observer
Key areas
The current work programme focuses on:
- strengthening, reinforcing and promoting industrial relations at all levels
- strengthening social partners’ capacity in Central and Eastern European Countries
- addressing labour shortages, with a focus on attractiveness of the sector
- contributing to the green and digital transition
- supporting the sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine
- work towards a better application of the European Regulation on the coordination of cross-border social security
- implementation of social ID cards in the construction sector
- monitor issues related to posting of workers
- improving the functioning of the labour market, tackling undeclared work and fighting against cases of cross-border social fraud, unfair competition and non-compliance with applicable laws, regulations and collective agreements
- fostering vocational and educational training and youth employment
- fostering a culture of Health and Safety with a focus on existing and new health hazards.
Activities & meetings
Check the library entries for this sectoral social dialogue committee.
Achievements/Joint texts
Check the social dialogue texts database