The meeting was organised as part of the Employment and Social Affairs Platform (ESAP) 2, a 4-year regional project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the ILO.

Ada Huibregtse, ILO Chief Technical Advisor, discussed the logic of the performance benchmarking tool (e-PBF for ASLD) and its usefulness for institutional performance monitoring and planning and regional benchmarking. The logical framework of this tool provides ASLD institutions with a long-term pathway to increase effectiveness, and its web application eases entering, collecting and analyzing performance indicators at institutional and regional levels.

Ivica Lazović, director of the ASLD Agency in Serbia, who spoke about the institutional experience of using this application, praised the tool. “This is an excellent tool and is applicable to all, no matter the specificities of each country,“ he said. “Through its usage, we have increased the effectiveness of the whole system. This tool can give us indicators that we would not otherwise create ourselves. We can follow up on what was planned and, if not achieved, we can understand why and address it.“

Radmila Loshkovska, from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy in North Macedonia, noted that the tool is comprehensive and data is helpful for the application of the self-diagnostic assessment and performance measurement. She suggested that simplification of a few indicators will make the process of data collection more manageable.

Cristina Mihes and Valerie Van Goethem introduced a self-assessment tool for the effectiveness of dispute resolution institutions developed by the ILO in reponse to requests from member States. The institutional effectiveness is assessed along thirteen dimensions on the bases of which, and in conjunction with the e-PBF, they can devise and implement their strategy and action plans. After adoption of this tool by the North Macedonian ASLD, the Serbian one will implement it in the next two weeks.

The second day of the regional meeting was reserved for presentations by Kostantinos Papadimitriou, president of the Greek Organisation of Mediation and Arbitration, and Diego Ribera from the Spanish Interconfederal Mediation and Arbitration Service Foundation. Both speakers shared their experiences in the settlement of labour disputes in their respective countries by giving relevant examples and provoking discussion among the participants.

In addition to completing data entry in the e-PBF and performance analysis by the end of April 2023, the participants decided on developing:

• A Code of Conduct for mediators and conciliators based on good practices across network members;

• A common outreach strategy to attract potential users;

• Preventive  approaches of and mechanisms for collective disputes;

• Improved institutional capacities to satisfy rising demand for remote mediation services; and

• Initializing the establishement of a European Network of ASLD institutions.

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023

Regional meeting of the institutions for amicable settlement of labour disputes (ASLD) in the Western Balkans, March 2023