Social dialogue in the private security sector covers activities related to NACE (Rev.2) codes 80.1 and 80.2, which include:
- private security services
- security systems service activities
The sectoral social dialogue committee has been created in 1999, replacing informal working committee previously functioning since 1992.
In 2020, the EU private security sector comprised over 46,500 companies and employed 1.34 million workers in the EU27, amounting to 0.6% of the total EU workforce (Eurostat SBS survey).
The sector faces the following main challenge:
- public procurement, asking for a revision of the Public Procurement Directive in order to make sure that other criteria than lowest-price are taken into consideration (given that a large part of their clientele are public institutions).
- high turnover and difficulties to retain qualified staff, as workers often perceive the sector as a provider of entry-level jobs.
- regulation of the selection of staff and training, vital for the sector’s integrity and professionalism.
- due diligence is an important topic, as private security companies are often part of large global value chains when providing surveillance services for extracting industries, retailers etc.
- the spread of payment by card and electronic devices and restriction to transactions in cash are threatening business and thousands of jobs in the branch of cash-in-transit.
Workers' organisations
Employers' organisations
Key areas
The current work programme focuses on:
- ensuring a Just Transition, including by anticipating change in the sector (demand for new services and new skills) and retaining and attracting workforce in a context of labour shortages.
- regulatory Issues and Standardisation, including aiming for the recognition of private security as an essential service.
- public procurement.
- health and safety at work, with a focus on psychosocial risks.
- strengthening social dialogue.
Activities and meetings
Check the library entries for this sectoral social dialogue committee.
Achievements/Joint texts
Check the social dialogue texts database