Saco's EU Policy

Saco is fundamentally positive about EU cooperation. The EU is a vital peace project that, for over 60 years, has resolved disputes between democratic nations in Europe peacefully. The free movement of goods, people, services, and capital contributes to shared prosperity across the EU.

Sweden and its graduated workforce benefit when foreign academics come to work, study, or conduct research here. Likewise, Saco members gain from opportunities to seek work across Europe.

Since Sweden’s EU accession in 1995, the EU’s influence on the Swedish labor market has grown. Sometimes, EU law impacts areas where it has no formal competence—like wage setting, strikes, or collective agreements. To protect fair competition, the EU has adopted directives that set minimum standards for the labor market. Without continual emphasis on the Swedish model—where social partners regulate employment without state interference—this model can be weakened.

From the start, social partners have been involved in EU decision-making. The European Commission must consult them before proposing labor market regulations—primarily via the ETUC and BusinessEurope—through the social dialogue. This dialogue has produced binding agreements, but in recent years, it was partly replaced by open consultations. In 2015, the Commission relaunched the social dialogue under the European Pillar of Social Rights (Principle 8), emphasizing worker involvement and in 2025 a relaunch was negotiated through the Pact of Social Dialogue where the European Partners commit to further enhance their cooperation.

In summary, the EU decides on many matters that affect Saco’s members. Saco advocates for fundamental trade union values, the interests of its members, and the integrity of Sweden’s collective bargaining model.

Saco will continue this advocacy both in Sweden and in Brussels—through the Joint LO/TCO/Saco Office, and alongside ETUC and Eurocadres, as well as within the European Parliament and Commission.