This paper aims at examining the impact of the EU through the prism of tripartite social dialogue in the process of promoting democracy eastward. The literatures on Europeanization and external intervention on democratization processes have emphasized the usefulness of theoretical approaches that take into account the “mechanism and pathways of influence linking external factors with domestic causes” (Magen, 2009). However, the process of democratisation means more than establishing formal institutions of free elections and competing political parties, and depends also on the functioning of interest groups. Often social partners and trade unions in particular are forgotten in the studies of the democratisation process (Kubicek, 2004). As Schmitter points out their relation with the State forms a “partial regime” within the framework of democratisation. It represents an important measurement of the quality of democracy and the standards of living of the citizens (Schmitter, 1992). The research focuses on EU influence through the field of social dialogue and on the democratic arrangements between the social partners and their ability to play an active and legitimate role in national industrial relations. The policy interests and the promotion of European programmes are examined and the accent is also put on the “power interests” (Hassel, 2009) and the interactions between social partners. The research is based on data collected by previous academic studies on industrial relations in CEE countries, EU and domestic documents and interviews conducted between January and March 2011 with representatives of Bulgarian social partners and experts from the CES.
