In Montenegro, it is necessary to strengthen the role of the Social Council in order to become more influential and transparent in policymaking, with the mandatory participation of high-ranking government representatives and providing opinions on all laws within its jurisdiction.
This is stated in the recommendations from the Business Agenda 2025, which identifies priority areas of reform to improve the business environment, growth and competitiveness of companies in the next five years, and which was prepared by the Union of Employers of Montenegro (UPCG) with the support of the International Labor Organization.
"The event at which we presented the Business Agenda 2025 confirmed the importance of dialogue between the economy and decision-makers, which further emphasized the key role of the MEF in creating a better business environment. During this event, important topics in this area were raised, which encouraged further constructive discussions on key issues and possible solutions for improving the business environment," the MEF announced.
When it comes to strengthening social dialogue and collective bargaining, the recommendations state that it is necessary to strengthen the role of the Social Council in creating policy and laws.
"Strengthening the Social Council requires a comprehensive reform to increase its influence and ensure greater transparency in decision-making. This includes the formal appointment of high-level government representatives (ministers or senior officials) as members of the Council from key areas of its mandate. The Social Council should be obliged to provide an opinion on all legal acts within its scope," the document says, as reported by PR Center.
It is assessed that strengthening the human, technical and financial capacities of the Social Council Secretariat is crucial for building effective social dialogue at the national level.
"A well-equipped Secretariat will support policy and law-making processes through evidence-based policymaking on key business issues such as the green transition, digitalization, and occupational health and safety. Expanding its analytical capacity will enable high-quality studies on legislative reforms with significant business impact, such as trade regulation flexibility, employment reform, and improvements in the work of social work centers, among others," the recommendations add.
It is emphasized that it is necessary to protect and strengthen the position of social partners, but also to encourage social dialogue at the local level by establishing local social councils.
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