Tribute to Emilio Gabaglio

It is with deep sadness that the European and international trade union world mourns the death of Emilio Gabaglio, an emblematic figure in the trade union movement and in European integration. Emilio was a leader of great humanity and strategic vision, a man who worked tirelessly for social justice and the dignity of labour throughout Europe.

Emilio Gabaglio has devoted much of his life to trade unionism and the construction of a more inclusive social Europe. His career was marked by his commitment as General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) from 1991 to 2003, a period when Europe was redefining its political and economic identity through the expansion of the European Union and the creation of the euro. Gabaglio has always placed at the centre of his work the need to protect workers' rights in this process of transformation.

Gabaglio was one of the signatories of the historic agreement between ETUC, UNICE (now BusinessEurope) and CEEP (now SGI Europe), which gave the social partners a key role in the social legislative process, with mandatory consultation of the social partners before any legislation in this area was adopted. This agreement forms the basis of European social dialogue, a fundamental element of the European social model: recognition of the active role of the social partners within the European Union represents a decisive turning point for both parties, and confirms Emilio Gabaglio in his role as architect of the new era of a People's Europe.

Emilio Gabaglio was closely associated with Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, during the crucial years when the foundations of the modern European Union were being laid. He and Delors shared a social vision of Europe, a project that was not just economic, but which placed social justice and citizens' rights at its heart. Their collaboration led to policies that enabled greater inclusion of the social partners in European decision-making, leading to a more structured and institutionalised social dialogue. In this sense, Emilio Gabaglio can be seen as a spiritual successor to the method of Jean Monnet, the founder of European integration, whose progressive and pragmatic approach to European construction found an echo in Gabaglio's work. Like Monnet, Gabaglio believed in the need to build bridges between different social and political actors, convinced that progress could only be achieved through dialogue and cooperation, in order to create a shared vision of what Europe should become.

Those who knew him will remember Emilio Gabaglio not only as a great leader, but also as a person of extraordinary humanity. He was a humble person, never aloof, capable of making complex issues accessible and always acting with a deep sense of justice.

We gather around the family with affection and gratitude for Emilio, a man who devoted his life to building a fairer, more social and more united Europe.