Tag: HOSPEEM – EPSU

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News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Joint HOSPEEM–EPSU visit with DG EMPL Director-General Mario Nava to UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg

On 27 May, the Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), Mario Nava, visited the university hospital UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg. The visit was facilitated by the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) and the European Public Service Union (EPSU) in the context of the European sectoral social dialogue in the hospital and healthcare sector.

The programme was organised by UZ Leuven Gasthuisberg, whose teams ensured a comprehensive and insightful visit. HOSPEEM and EPSU would like to express their appreciation to Gasthuisberg, its management, and the HR and communication teams for the excellent preparation and warm welcome, as well as to Zorgnet-Icuro, and to the local trade union representatives from ACV-CSC and BBTK-ABVV, for their contribution to the programme and exchanges.

The visit brought together representatives of the European Commission, social partners and UZ Leuven/KU Leuven for an exchange on the future of healthcare systems and healthcare work.

Discussions focused on social dialogue at hospital level, approaches to addressing labour shortages through recruitment, retention and working conditions, as well as skills development and training as key enablers for sustainable healthcare systems.

Participants also visited key clinical and training areas, including robotic cardiac surgery, the neonatal intensive care unit, and the STEPS skills centre, highlighting how innovation, advanced care delivery and structured skills training are integrated in daily hospital practice.
The visit provided an opportunity for social partners to engage with DG EMPL on shared priorities for the sector, including workforce sustainability, quality jobs, skills portability and the organisation of resilient healthcare services in a context of growing demand across the European Union.

The discussions underlined the importance of continued dialogue between European institutions, social partners and healthcare providers to support strong, resilient and well-functioning healthcare systems across the European Union.

Social Dialogue Hospeem

HOSPEEM-EPSU Joint Work Programme 2026-2028 for the European Sectoral Social Dialogue in the Hospital Sector

In November 2025, HOSPEEM and EPSU adopted the Joint Work Programme 2026–2028 addressing labour and skills shortages, preparedness, digitalisation, occupational safety and health, continuous professional development, and lifelong learning priorities jointly.
Photo of the signatories of the Joint Policy orientation
News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

EPSU and HOSPEEM sign Joint Policy Orientation to build a resilient European hospital and health sector

Brussels, 13 June 2025 – The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and the European Hospital & Healthcare Employers’ Association (HOSPEEM) today sign their Joint Policy Orientation on Creating a Resilient Hospital and Health Sector after the COVID-19 Pandemic. A negotiated process-oriented text that sets common priorities for unions and employers and guides EU decision-makers on future legislation and funding.

Investment, people, and preparedness In the Joint Policy Orientation, the social partners for the hospital sector call for sustained public investment in hospitals and primary care, stressing that “healthcare funding is seen as a long term, ongoing investment rather than an expenditure”. The orientation encourages the Member States to prolong EU4Health in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework. The Social Partners commit to work together with the support of governments to develop measures to reduce staff shortages, and refer to a wide range of actions to make the total reward package more attractive to workers including but not limiting to wages, work life balance or continuous professional development in line with their updated Framework of Action on Recruitment and Retention. The Social Partners emphasise the importance of diversity and gender equality in the healthcare workforce.

Stronger social dialogue and collective bargaining EPSU and HOSPEEM underline that stronger collective bargaining and early involvement of social partners in EU processes such as the European Semester are essential, especially during crises.

From words to follow-up Both organisations commit to follow-up every three years and to work closely with the European Commission, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) so that resilience remains a policy priority and lessons from COVID-19 are hard-wired into preparedness plans.

Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary, said: “Our health systems cannot afford another round of austerity. The pandemic taught us that public investment fundamental to the resilience of our societies and economies. This joint policy orientation is a clear message from both workers and employers: investing in healthcare is key to Europe’s preparedness and social partners must be at the table shaping that future.”

Marta Branca, HOSPEEM Secretary General states: “Especially now that the EU places preparedness high on the agenda, it is important to recognise: funding healthcare is not a cost, but a long-term investment in our economy and society. Through the Joint Policy Orientation, we as Social partners are committing to a shared vision to help ensure that hospitals remain safe, adaptive, and sustainable workplaces capable of delivering high-quality care in any circumstance.”

The signing underscores the value of sectoral social dialogue contributing in delivering the European Pillar of Social Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The Joint Policy Orientation can be found here.

For more information please contact:

Chloe Kenny ckenny@epsu.org EPSU

Leonie Martin l.martin@hospeem.eu HOSPEEM

The European Commission has also published a press release on the occasion.

HOSPEEM and EPSU participate in the European Social Dialogue as the recognised European Social Partners in the Hospital and Healthcare Sector since 2006. A range of joint documents (declarations, code of conduct, framework of actions, framework agreements) have been adopted and multiple projects and activities have been successfully completed ever since.
European Hospital and Healthcare Employers’ Association https://hospeem.org/
European Federation of Public Service Unions www.epsu.org
News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Press Release: “Violence is not part of the job!”

Five sectoral social dialogue committees adopt revised guidelines to prevent and tackle third party violence and harassment (TPVH) at the workplace

Brussels 6 May 2025

The European sectoral social partners for Local and Regional Governments, Hospitals and healthcare, Education, Hotels, restaurants and cafés (Hospitality), and Central Governments adopted the updated European Multi-sectoral Guidelines to Prevent and Tackle Third-Party Violence and Harassment Related to Work. This follows a six-month round of negotiations last year with the financial support of the European Commission.

This significant achievement demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the involved social partners to ensuring safe, inclusive, and respectful workplaces across Europe and providing evidence-based guidance to their members including health and safety representatives at work.

The revised Guidelines draw upon ILO Violence and Harassment Convention (No.190), existing policies, and collective agreements at national level to address pressing challenges in light of increased episodes of third-party violence and harassment at work following the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing world of work.

They offer to the trade unions and employers:

· Key elements for a TPVH policy devised by management and workers’ representatives and trade unions, anchored in social dialogue, occupational safety and health, gender equality and non-discrimination with an intersectional approach.

· Practical tools and measures for health risk assessments – for example psychosocial risks and staffing levels-, prevention, and responses, such as social dialogue, awareness raising, training and clear reporting and complaint procedures.

· Definitions and principles on fostering a culture of respect and zero tolerance to violence and harassment including by learning from previous incidents and cooperating with relevant public authorities.

· Remedies to support victims and hold perpetrators accountable, including support and transparent investigations.

· A joint TPVH website with practical examples of policies and collective agreements

Following the adoption, the signatories will disseminate and promote the implementation of the guidelines among their members at the national level including in future collective agreements.

On behalf of the employers’ delegation:

“By concluding these updated guidelines, employers reaffirm their commitment to fostering workplaces where safety and respect are at the core, ensuring that both workers and the services delivered to citizens are protected”, said Fabrizio Rossi, CEMR Secretary General.

On behalf of the trade unions’ delegation:

“Workers should never fear going to work. Violence, including gender-based violence, should never be normalised and deemed part of any job. By underlining that every workplace should have a TPVH policy and, importantly, be sufficiently staffed and resourced to do the job, the Guidelines will contribute to eradicating what has become a major safety and health risk”, said Jan Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary.

In her speech, Marta Branca, HOSPEEM Secretary General says:

“Updating the guidelines on preventing third-party violence and harassment, reflecting how technology has progressed since the first guidelines as well as introducing a gender-responsive approach, is an important moment for us as social partners in the hospital and healthcare sector. It reflects our shared commitment with trade unions to create safe and supportive working environments .”

For more information, please contact:

CEMR: hamza.bennis@ccre-cemr.org

EPSU: nsalson@epsu.org

HOSPEEM: l.martin@hospeem.eu

CESI: migliori@cesi.org

HOTREC: marta.machado@hotrec.eu

ETUCE: martina.diridolfo@csee-etuce.org

EFEE: monika.hoangthe@educationemployers.eu

EFFAT: v.demoucron@effat.org

EUPAE: carlos.moreno@digital.gob.es

The updated guidelines can be found here (EN)

Events, News, Social Dialogue Hospeem

Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee in hospital and healthcare sector is the first to endorse the Updated Guidelines to prevent third-party violence

Together with employers from central governments, local and regional governments, education and horeca sectors, HOSPEEM concluded negotiations with respective trade union counterparts to update the European Multi-sectoral Social Partners Guidelines to prevent and tackle third-party violence and harrassment related to work. Amongst others, the update introduces a gender-perspective to the topic and reflects the further digitalization that has occurred since 2010.

While the Social Dialogue Committee in the hospital and healthcare sector became the first to approve the content of the updated guidelines in November 2024, the text will be signed once all involved sectors have approved too.

Activities, Activity reports, News Hospeem

The year 2022 at a glance: HOSPEEM activity report

2022 has been a year rich in achievements and fruitful exchanges for HOSPEEM. The HOSPEEM EPSU Framework of Actions on Recruitment and Retention was revised. Social partners signed the updated framework, re-commiting to initiatives that can strengthen the resilience of the health workforce.

Several HOSPEEM representatives shared their expertise by actively representing members’ views. For example, the Joint HOSPEEM-EPSU Technical Seminar the Digital Health Transformation of Integrated Care in Europe in November 2022 welcomed presentations from employers in Belgium, Czech Republic and Cyprus.

HOSPEEM spoke at various EU fora, for instance, at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). HOSPEEM has also been selected for one of the two new bodies that advises the European Commission Service, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA).

This report presents key information on HOSPEEM and the Social Dialogue activities carried out during 2022.

Download the 2022 report

All annual reports available here

News Hospeem

HOSPEEM October Newsletter is published

In this October 2022 Newsletter edition, you will read about the newly HOSPEEM-EPSU updated Framework of Actions on Recruitment and Retention, as the social partners are encouraging initiatives across Europe to strengthen the health workforce.

You will find also more information on:

  • EU Social Partners Cross-ectoral Work Programme 2022-2024
  • EC European Care Strategy
  • Prevention of third-party violence and harassment in the heath sector
  • Upskilling and reskilling the European healthcare workforce
  • International recruitment of health staff (UK)
  • Guidance to access health data (DK)

This newsletter also includes events and publications relevant for hospital employers:

4 October 2022: HOSPEEM Newsletter 2022 – Issue 3

News Hospeem

HOSPEEM March Newsletter is published

In this March 2022 Newsletter edition, you will find

This newsletter also includes news from our Members in the U.K., Czech Republic and Italy as well as EU news, events and publications relevant for hospital employers.

News Hospeem

HOSPEEM-EPSU Solidarity message with Ukraine employers and trade unions

               

Brussels, 11.03.2022

The social partners involved in the European sectoral social dialogue – Hospital and Healthcare, HOSPEEM and EPSU, strongly deplore and condemn the unprovoked attack of the Russian government on the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Furthermore, we are horrified by the reported attack on a maternity and children hospital in Mariupol, Ukraine on March 9. As of March 10, the WHO has confirmed 25 other attacks¹.  Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure such as hospitals must stop immediately. Furthermore, we are calling on all to respect and protect in all circumstances health facilities, civilian and military medical units in line with International Humanitarian Law. Reiterating the words of the WHO, the social partners stress that health providers must be protected so they are allowed to treat the injured, and to save lives. We express our solidarity with fellow employers, trade unions and workers in the hospital and healthcare sector, who continue to provide medical care to people in Ukraine in the direst circumstances. Our member organisations across Europe are collecting medical equipment and similar resources to support healthcare provision.

¹ https://twitter.com/WHOUkraine/status/1501975933841920011

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Лист солідарності з роботодавцями та профспілками України

 Соціальні партнери, які беруть участь у європейському секторальному соціальному діалозі – Hospital and Healthcare, HOSPEEM і EPSU, висловлюють скорботу і рішуче засуджують безпричинний напад російського уряду на територіальну цілісність України. Крім того, ми в жаху від повідомлення про напад на родинний будинок і на дитячу лікарню в Маріуполі 9 березня. Станом на 10 березня ВООЗ підтвердила ще 25 нападів. Напади на цивільне населення та цивільну інфраструктуру, такі як лікарні, повинні негайно припинитися. Крім того, ми закликаємо всіх поважати і захищати за  будь-яких обставин медичні установи, цивільні та військові медичні формування відповідно до міжнародного гуманітарного права. Повторюючи слова ВООЗ, соціальні партнери підкреслюють, що медичні працівники повинні бути захищені, щоб вони могли лікувати поранених і рятувати життя. Ми висловлюємо солідарність з іншими роботодавцями, профспілками та працівниками лікарень та усіх закладів охорони здоров’я, які продовжують надавати медичну допомогу людям в Україні в складних умовах. Наші організації-члени по всій Європі збирають медичне обладнання та аналогічні ресурси для підтримки надання медичної допомоги.

EPSU also published this message.

Activities, Events Hospeem

Unions and Employers discuss European Health Data Space with a representative of the European Commission

On February 3, 2022, EPSU and HOSPEEM jointly organised an online informative session on the European Health Data Space (EHDS), with the purpose of providing a space  for the exchange of information between the European Commission (EC) and social partners in the healthcare sector. The aim of the meeting was to give the EC the platform to introduce the topic and discuss what implications the EHDS will have for health workers and the health sector.

The session started with a brief introduction by Jan-Willem Goudriaan, EPSU General Secretary, who welcomed expert Barbara Susec from ver.di, experts from HOSPEEM. and Hugo van Haastert, of DG Sante. (Unit B.3, European Reference Networks and Digital Health). He presented the initiative and stressed that the framework of the EHDS should serve the public and strengthen the quality of care.

Hugo van Haastert also  explained the legal proposal EC  has been working on and provided  insight into the existing European data infrastructure. He highlighted the role of the EHDS to simplify and connect primary and secondary health data to make them more accessible for workers and patients.

The presentation was followed by a discussion, in which data protection and the importance of equal access to data and digitisation, also via targeted training tools, were highlighted. Participants also emphasised that the role and involvement of health care workers within the framework of the EHDS should be more accentuated.

The session was concluded by Marta Branca, HOSPEEM General Secretary, who stressed the relevance of the informative session in the framework of the the Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee and thanked the organisers and participants for their input.

Download the European Commission’s presentation (.pdf)

EPSU also published an article on this topic

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