For more information on those issues currently undergoing the social dialogue process, see below.

It requires the European social partners to be consulted on a range of issues concerning employment and social affairs. Article 138 provides for a compulsory two-stage consultation procedure:

Issue	Started	Stage	Next steps
Needle stick injuries	2006	1st stage of consultation began in December 2006	2nd stage consultation launch pending
Simplification of the practical implementation reporting arrangements for health and safety at work directives.	2005	EC published its proposal for a Directive in October 2006	Draft of proposed Directive to be approved by the European Parliament
Violence at the workplace	2005	2nd stage of consultation completed	Consultation in the final stages
Musculoskeletal disorders	2004	2nd stage of the consultation began in March 2007	-
Carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances	2004	1st stage complete	2nd stage consultation launch pending

To date there have been only two non-legislative social partner agreements at the European level; one on teleworking made in 2002, and the other on stress in 2004.

At each stage, the social partners have six weeks to comment on the consultation. If they decide to take action, by way of a social partner agreement, then this must be developed within nine months of agreement.

For more information on this process and access to all consultation documents, see the European Commission's website on social dialogue.

• European Commission's website