Brussels, 24/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - In a press release on Thursday 23 April, the European Commission welcomes the Council's adoption of a revised directive on European works councils, following a first reading agreement with the European Parliament. With this new legislation, workers will be better informed and consulted if the company for which they work is restructured, which is particularly important in the current economic climate.
In July 2008, the European Commission had suggested as part of its renewed social agenda that the 1994 directive on European works councils (EWC) should be reviewed. The aim of the directive was to reduce the financial cost of companies that undergo restructuring by better anticipation of charges (EUROPE 9695). European social partners, who were disappointed by the recasting proposal (BusinessEurope considers it would not facilitate social dialogue while ETUC finds it not ambitious enough, EUROPE 9698), presented their joint opinion in August 2008, accepting the Commission's proposal with a number of amendments with a view to adoption, an initiative that was welcomed by Commissioner Vladimir Spidla (EUROPE 9733/9736).
Some 2,300 companies employ a total of 24 million workers falling within the scope of the directive. The head office of most of these companies is in Germany, the United States (for their activities in Europe), the United Kingdom and France, but they operate and have employees everywhere in Europe. The EWCs operate in around 860 of these 2,300 companies, involving 20,000 employee representatives and affecting the lives of 15.6 million workers. (G.B./transl.jl)