On the 27th and 28th of April, 2009 in Istanbul / Turkey/, was held a European conference on problems of the social dialogue in the agriculture sector, organized by the European Federation of trade unions in the agricultural sector EFFAT and the European employers’ Agricultural Organization GEOPA. Besides the representatives of the two European organizations, the conference was attended by representatives of organizations of workers / employees and employers of 4 Balkan countries, which was subject of special study of social dialogue, and namely: Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia. As individual speakers attended and the following nine EU member states: Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, France, Czech Republic and Sweden.

Bulgarian twelve- member delegation included 7 representatives of trade unions  /5 from KNSB and 2 from KT ”Podkrepa”/ and 5 representatives of employers, members of the Council of the Bulgarian Agrarian organizations /SBAO/. Personal and representative organization views, expressed Valentina Vasilyonova / FNSZ to KNSB/, Aneliya Nacheva /KT”Podkrepa”/ and Lyudmila Todorova / SBAO/. During the second day of the conference presentation also made member of the Board of SBAO and Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of the Farmers / BAF / Dr. St. STEFANOV.

 In his speech Dr. Stefanov clarify the role of social partners to solve the problems related to vocational education and training in the agricultural sector. He pointed in particular the participation of representatives of the Bulgarian agricultural employers and trade union organizations in the work of the expert committee on Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and Veterinary Medicine / EKSGRSVM / the National Agency for Vocational Education and Training / NAVET/. This committee, together with experts from the Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the social partners participate equally in social dialogue and provide input to the development of vocational education and training in the agricultural sector. The most tangible is their participation in the activities of development and public acceptance of state requirements / State Educational Requirements / acquisition of qualifications in professions, in revising the list of professions for vocational education and training, particularly in licensing activities and expanding the network of centers training / TSPO. Not least significant is the role of social partners in securing and managing the quality of vocational training by adjusting and updating the curriculum in accordance with new requirements to the farmers arising from the Common Agricultural Policy and the need to increase the absorption of sredstvatata Program Rural Development 2007-2013. The role of social partners is essential in the EKSGRSVM in the connection to their control functions regarding the provision of educational process with everything needed to increase theoretical and especially the practical utilization of the subjects for the professions and specialties.