Luxembourg, 03/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - On 2 October, in Luxembourg, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSSCO) took stock of the state of progress of work relating to the proposal for recasting the directive on European works councils. Xavier Bertrand, French Minister for Employment and Solidarity, who chaired the work, welcomed the progress made on this text since the beginning of the summer, in particular with the help of European social partners. Ministers agreed that the Commission's proposal and the eight amendments that form the common proposal of the social partners are a good basis for moving forward within the Council and with the Parliament.
Xavier Bertrand felt confident the text may be adopted by the end of the year. Vladimir Spidla, for his part, expressed the Commission's support of the amendments by social partners and welcomed the fact that the way is now open for adopting a directive that is so necessary in the current context. (A.N./transl.jl)