Open calls

The procedure aims to respond to the growing need to modernize the institutional infrastructure of the National Institute for Conciliation and Arbitration (NICA), while at the same time contributing to the implementation of modern, data-driven policies in the field of industrial relations.

In the context of Specific Objective 2 of Priority 1 of the Human Resources Development Programme 2021-2027, the activities of NICA address one of the key challenges facing labor market services – the need for a timely response to structural changes in employment caused by digitalization, the platform economy and emerging atypical forms of work.

NICA is the only structure with powers to settle collective labor disputes through mediation and arbitration. Therefore, the Institute occupies a specific place in the Bulgarian institutional structure, as it not only mediates in the settlement of collective labor disputes, but also accumulates, structures and interprets information that is of strategic importance for the regulation of labor relations and for social dialogue.

The procedure is aimed at a complete transformation of the information system for collecting and analyzing data on collective bargaining and collective labor disputes, maintained by NICA, which meets the objectives of the HRD 2021-2027 to improve institutional capacity in the context of the digital transition, by providing prerequisites for building sustainable knowledge in the public sector through collection, maintaining and sharing structured data.

The measures envisaged under this procedure aim to respond to the growing need for technological modernization of institutions implementing policies in the field of labor relations by providing a reliable, secure and functional digital solution in accordance with the requirements of modern e-government.

An additional effect of the procedure is related to the possibility of providing accessible and summarized information to a wide range of stakeholders – social partners, public authorities, employers, workers and international institutions, including in the context of transposition of Directive (EU) 2022/2041 on adequate minimum wages. Reliable access to systematised and verifiable information will contribute both to the prevention of labour market conflicts and to better planning of employment, pay and working conditions policies.