MEPs call for a framework Directive to streamline relevant EU legislation and strengthen workers’ rights, including information, consultation and participation in company decisions, in a report by Gabrielle Bischoff (S&D, Germany), adopted (476 votes in favour, 115 against and 99 abstentions) on Wednesday 15 December.
“Millions of workers in Europe are waiting for a signal to say ‘yes, we have been given the right to participate, we are going through this transition together’. (...) We will create the tools and the instruments that they need to participate, and strengthen those that are already there”, said Mrs Bischoff.
In general, MEPs ask for: - European minimum standards for employee participation in the event of cross-border company restructuring; - at least 80% of companies to be covered by sustainable governance agreements by 2030; - the involvement of workers in the establishment of due diligence strategies.
They also call on the Commission to consider a revision of the European Works Council Directive (a controversial issue for the EPP) to improve workers’ rights in this area. They call for the Directive on a better gender balance in non-executive boards of listed companies (a controversial issue) to be unblocked in the EU Council.
The report also calls for quotas to increase women’s representation. A point that would have been discussed by the conservative MEPs of the ECR and the far right ID. The EPP reportedly had some reservations during the negotiations as well.
Thus, the EPP and ECR Groups were split between votes against and abstentions. The Scandinavian delegation of Renew Europe also voted against the text. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)