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This article examines the emergence and evolution of social pacts in European countries in the last 20 years. While the changing constraints related to the different phases of the Monetary Union and actors' interests and resources are usually interpreted as key variables, we add a more institutionalist perspective. We analyse four countries to trace the role of institutional dynamics: while in Ireland and Spain the first pacts have been stabilized, in Italy and Portugal we see a more limited or `uneven' institutionalization. The dynamic interpretation of institutional trends and critical events helps remedy some of the limits of the traditional literature on social pacts.

Recent studies of the sectoral social dialogue have concluded that the types of documents adopted by the sectoral social partners are undergoing a qualitative change. It appears that significant developments are underway which need to be better understood and analysed. Any such exercise poses two challenges: one quantitative, since there are no standardised data concerning texts signed, and the other qualitative, relating to the precise nature of the texts adopted. How should they be described? How should they be classified? This article presents the results of a quantitative analysis, based on a database created at the Observatoire social européen covering all 353 agreements adopted since 1978. From this analysis we can already detect certain overall trends affecting the sectoral social dialogue. ❖❖❖ Sommaire Des études récentes sur le dialogue social sectoriel ont conclu qu'un changement qualitatif dans la nature des documents adoptés par les partenaires sociaux sectoriels est en cours. Il semble qu'il se produise des évolutions notables qu'il convient de mieux appréhender, analyser et mesurer. Cette démarche comporte deux défis. Un défi quantitatif car il n'existe aucune donnée standardisée portant sur les textes signés et un défi qualitatif qui pose directement la question de la nature des textes adoptés. Comment les qualifier ? Comment les classer ? Cet article présente les résultats d'une analyse de nature quantitative, basée sur une base de données créée par l'Observatoire social européen, qui porte sur l'ensemble de 353 accords adoptés depuis 1978. De cette analyse, nous pouvons déjà dégager des dynamiques d'ensemble pour le dialogue social sectoriel. ❖❖❖

This article looks at the way in which European sectoral social dialogue has developed over the past 20 years. It tries to determine whether the establishment of Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees in 1998 (SSDCs; currently 40) has affected the nature and/or quantity of texts adopted by these bodies. To this end, two periods are considered: 1990—1997 and 1998—2009. A first finding is that European sectoral social dialogue has burgeoned since the mid-1990s. The establishment of SSDCs therefore forms part of this expansion. Our main finding is that, whereas previously sectoral social dialogue was primarily geared towards ‘joint lobbying’ documents addressed to the European institutions, it now appears to be generating more documents that reflect ‘reciprocal commitments’. Yet this trend is really only perceptible from 2003 onwards, five years after the first SSDCs were established. The increased number of binding joint texts adopted can be explained by the Commission having undertaken more consultation (under Treaty Article 154) which opened a window of opportunity for the social partners to sign ‘agreements’.

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