The new European sectoral social dialogue for social services: The “bite” challenge, the coordination potential and the future of care

This article examines the establishment of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committee (ESSDC) for Social Services and its potential to address the job quality dimension of Europe’s care trilemma – balancing service coverage, fiscal constraints and working conditions. Drawing on qualitative research, including 133 interviews across 11 countries and document analysis, we explore how this supranational forum can influence national employment practices in a sector marked by varied provision models and weak industrial relations. While ESSDCs have been criticised for limited ‘bite’ in shaping national policies, we argue that their coordination capacity offers meaningful leverage, particularly in countries with underdeveloped social dialogue. Our findings highlight both structural constraints and promising dynamics of knowledge-sharing. We conclude that although binding outcomes remain unlikely, the ESSDC fosters a community of practice that reframes care work as an investment, not a cost, enabling incremental improvements in job quality and professionalisation.