Framework agreements are negotiated between the social partners at European level, and are contractually binding on the signatory parties and their members. They are transposed either by a European Directive – in which case the primary responsibility for implementation lies with the Member States in the first instance – or by the social partners at national level, who have an obligation for such transposition, while the signatory parties have an obligation to influence their members.

For clarity, we call ‘framework agreements’ those which have been converted into directives, and ‘autonomous agreements’ those which are transposed in accordance with the procedures and practices specific to management and labour and the Member States.