Event Date:
November 13, 2025 - November 14, 2025@ 8:30 am - 12:00 pm
The LRG-SD Capacity Building Project (LAB project) aims to strengthen social dialogue in Eastern and Southeastern Europe, candidate countries, and Southern European islands by equipping local and regional social partners with the tools and knowledge to engage effectively at both the national and EU level.
Led by CEMR and EPSU, the LAB project is funded by the European Commission and combines research, regional workshops, and twinning activities to foster peer learning, build lasting capacity, and promote a more inclusive and resilient European social dialogue.
The LAB project wishes to address the underrepresentation and challenges to participation of local and regional government social partners in the target countries in social dialogue at both the national and European level.
CEMR and the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) organised the first study visit of the LAB Project at the offices of the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR) in Stockholm.
The visit brought together a delegation of Maltese representatives from local and regional government and trade unions, with the involvement of the Local Councils’ Association, to exchange experiences and best practices with their Swedish counterparts on social dialogue, mutual trust, and adaptability to change.
The Maltese delegation included the Mayor of Gżira (Mr. Neville Chetcuti), the Mayor of Isla (Mr. Clive Pulis), the Mayor of St. Julian’s (Mr. Guido Dalli), and the Mayor of Floriana (Mr. Nigel Holland).
Discussions focused on the challenges facing social dialogue in both Malta and Sweden, together with a presentation by SALAR on the Swedish model and the concrete challenges ahead.
On the differences between the two systems, Lawrence Bugeja, Assistant Secretary at GWU – Government and Public Entities Section, said:
“Malta has traditionally had strong industrial relations shaped by the small size of our country. It has been enlightening to learn about the complexity of the negotiation system in Sweden and the unique challenges they face in maintaining effective social dialogue.”
Social dialogue means all forms of negotiation, consultation or exchange of information between representatives of governments, employers and workers on issues of common interest relating to economic, employment and social policy.
This exchange marks an important step in strengthening mutual learning and collaboration between European local and regional governments and trade unions, with the Local Councils’ Association playing an active role in the LAB Project.
