As the EU accelerates its green and digital transitions, the stakes for workers are growing. Technological innovation, new industries and evolving production methods promise progress – but they also bring disruption. For a truly sustainable industrial shift, we must put workers at the centre of the process.
This means protecting workers’ rights, their wellbeing and their voices in the workplace. Denmark’s approach has long combined competitiveness with fairness. We believe that innovation and worker protection are not opposing forces – they are two sides of the same coin.
Collective agreements bring safety and trust
Denmark has a strong system of collective agreements. Negotiated between trade unions and employers’ organisations, they cover everything from pay and working hours, to training, health and safety. These agreements ensure that workers have a say – not only in their working conditions, but also in how change is managed.
We rely on a well-established system of workplace representatives known as tillidsrepræsentanter. These elected employee delegates are the direct link between workers and management, and their role is to ensure a culture of dialogue and trust.
This article is part of The Parliament's Guide to the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU.
This is important in times of transformation. When companies adopt new technologies or reorganise production, workplace representatives help ensure that workers are informed, consulted and protected. The Danish focus on occupational health and safety is a central part of our labour market model. Regulations, joint safety committees and preventive measures have helped create a culture where safety is not a cost, but a shared responsibility.
The EU’s role in protecting workers
The green tech revolution must be built with, and for, the workers who make it possible. That requires the EU to play a stronger role in ensuring decent working conditions across all member states.
Initiatives like the Platform Work Directive, which aims to improve rights for vulnerable workers in new forms of employment, are a good start. But we remain firmly opposed to other initiatives that could hamper workers – such as an EU-wide minimum wage. In Denmark, wages are not set by law; they are negotiated through collective bargaining between social partners. This is central to our labour market and must be respected by EU institutions.
As we invest in green industries and high-tech sectors, we must also invest in social infrastructure, including training opportunities, worker involvement and secure contracts. The push for competitiveness must not come at the expense of worker protections. Flexibility must go hand in hand with fairness. And innovation must be accompanied by inclusion.
Social dialogue is smart policy
Denmark has shown that a competitive economy can be built on strong labour standards. It is often our inclusive labour market and high levels of trust that allow us to move quickly and effectively in adapting to new realities. Workers who are respected and heard are more likely to embrace change. Social dialogue is not red tape – it is the foundation of resilience.
The EU has an opportunity to shape its industrial future in a way that is both green and just. Denmark’s experience shows that worker protections, workplace democracy and trust are enablers of growth, not barriers.
The transition to a sustainable economy must not only be measured in tonnes of CO₂ saved or megawatts produced, but also in the dignity and wellbeing of those doing the work.
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