At the beginning of the nineties, in the course of the European unification process and the necessary European social dialog, the trade union federations active in the European capitals began to meet through mediation of the ETUC aiming to coordinate social, labour market and structure-political activities in the metropolises. First, these meetings took place within a smaller framework gathering some European partners in Stockholm, Paris, Berlin and other cities. In order to enable a goal-directed working atmosphere and a result-orientated exchange of views, in 1998 these meetings led to a large conference with a constituent character. About 60 representatives of all trade union federations active in the EU capitals of the 16 EU member states and other associated countries participated in this conference. Since that day the conference comprises the political company of the European unification process, taking into consideration the EU decision for a "Europe of the regions".
The labour and social conditions of all capital regions show the same development tendencies towards services centers entailing a massive exclusion of the less qualified employees, a high youth unemployment rate and the impoverishment of certain city quarters. The "European capitals conference" discusses these problems aiming at developing existing labour market or social system instruments and realizing them in all capitals in cooperation with the ETUC and with the involvement of the social partners from the purse of the European Commission and the national governments.
