Concertation

A form of dialogue and co-decision making implying mutual exchange of information, open discussion and knowledge sharing, and the signature of operational agreements between public administrations (institutional concertation) and/or with representatives of the private sector (business associations, trade unions, NGOs – social concertation).Through concertation, it is possible to add political control to the general economy - following the so-called ‘Rhineland capitalism’ model - or to reach a broader consensus on a development program design and implementation, or to finalise and enact a new law’s or regulation’s provision, by means of the reciprocal mediation of public and eventually private interests that would certainly be conflicting, were it not for the mutual composition realised in the name of a superior purpose or entity. A known implementation of the institutional concertation is the European Union’s Open Method of Coordination, while a famous example of social concertation are the Territorial Pacts for Employment.