08 May 2008, Brussels

"More than a head, a manager should be an enlivener"
Interview with Maurice Thevenet, management professor at ESSEC Business School Paris-Singapore
(Source : www.youngmanager.fr, April 2008)

29 April 2008, Brussels

• IN BRIEF:
  - The European Commission publishes its Annual Policy Strategy for 2009
• SOCIAL AGENDA:
  - Consultation on the review of Directive 94/45/EC on European Works Councils: CEC Position
  - CEC survey addressed to member organisations
  - The European Social Model face to face with Globalisation
• MEMBERS’ ACTIVITIES:
  - Two major events for ACEO: General Assembly held in March and upcoming Annual Leadership Congress scheduled for 15 May
  - FIRAS-SPP Annual Meeting in Rome, 28 March 2008
  - ULA’s contribution : European Social Dialogue - A Survey
• WHAT’S NEW WITHIN CEC:
  - CEC meets the Member of the European Parliament Ms Stauner
  - CEC welcomes two new organisations among its observers
  - CEC Conference “Managers’ Role in European Works Councils and other Information, Consultation and Participatory Bodies”, 5 & 6 June 2008, AIRBUS Toulouse
  - The renewed version of CEC managers’ network is now online

Download Newsletter 55

22 April 2008, Brussels

SAFEGUARDING THE PROPER REPRESENTATION OF MANAGERS AND EXECUTIVES

For CEC, a consolidation of the European Works Council role can only take place if executives and managers are adequately represented within it.

The Directive of September 22nd, 1994 was aware of the need and interest to represent all categories of employees: indeed, the 16th whereas of its preamble expressed the wish for the different categories of employees to be represented in a balanced way. Hence it recognized the legitimate right of executives to enjoying wider and stronger representation in those bodies in charge of social dialogue.

10 April 2008, Brussels

On 8 April 2008 CEC Secretary General Ludger Ramme has welcomed in CEC office in Brussels the delegation from the Montenegrin Confederation of Managers (MCM), a newly-founded association of managers from Montenegro.

28 March 2008, Brussels

Constantly attentive to the European Commission's initiatives in the field of equality, CEC highlights the adoption on 12 March of the "2008 Work programme of the Roadmap for equality between women and men (2006-2010) - Programme de travail de la feuille de route pour l'égalité entre les femmes et les hommes (2006-2010), réalisations 2007 et prévisions 2008" (the document exists only in French).

It is the second work programme since the adoption of the Roadmap for equality between women and men in March 2006.

 13-14 March 2008, Brussels

It is traditional for the spring sessions of the European Council to focus on economic and social issues. The Tripartite Social Summit linked to this event reunites European Social Partners with the highest chairs of the EU in order to discuss and agree on political guidelines concerning the domain of employment and social affairs.

This time, the leaders have paid particular attention to the launch of the second cycle of the renewed Lisbon Strategy (2008-2010), climate change and energy, and the stability of financial markets.

 11 March 2008, Brussels

CEC keeps monitoring the situation across the EU with regard to discrimination and equality at work, object of the CEC conference 2007.

CEC regrets, to this extent, to signal the recent massive infringement proceeding launched by the European Commission against several Member States with regard to the implementation of the Employment Equality Directive (2000/78/EC), whose you can find details in “CEC Toolkit for managers”.

CEC wishes that Member States transpose rapidly and completely the EC directives provisions in order to ensure full protection and guarantees for managers in terms of diversity. In the meanwhile the ground action brought on by trade unions, professional organisations and civil society must be boosted and promoted. CEC commits itself to keep on running in such direction.

Despite extensive European legislation on guaranteeing equal opportunities on the labour market, some categories of the population are still confronted with discrimination with regard to the access to employment or in their career (elderly, ethnic and religious minorities, gay and lesbian people, people with disabilities, etc).
Moreover women are still confronted with numerous obstacles in their career (pay gap, stereotypes, work and family life balance, etc.) that limit their access to decision-making positions.

Managing our diversity by ensuring fairness and equality is becoming crucial in today’s changing and complex society. In order to remain successful organisations must understand these changes, see the benefits of promoting diversity and take the necessary actions.

06 March 2008, Brussels

The celebration of the International Women's Day has always been a highlight of the European Parliament's activities in the field of equality between women and men. This year, as every year, CEC participated in the conference held in the Hemicycle of the European Parliament, in order to get information on the progress achieved at EU level and to register the difficulties still persisting to this extent, with particular concern to the role of women managers.

"Managers’ role in European Works Councils
and
other information, consultation and participatory bodies"

Conference programme 

"2008: European Year of Intercultural Dialogue"

• Objectives of the conference

For CEC European Managers, it makes sense to pay closer attention to the European Works Councils (EWC) during the European Year of intercultural dialogue. To highlight the presence and the role of managers in the EWC is complementary to many quality seminars on the subject organized by other social partners such as ETUC or BUSINESSEUROPE. To make the link between the economic performance of a company and the quality of its European social dialogue is both a sign of incentive for the enterprises that have performed successfully, as well as an encouragement for those on the way.

Setting up the European company should not diminish the workers’ representation or affect the quality of social dialogue. Ensuring a fair representation of managers is the mission of CEC European Managers. To put forward relevant arguments on the subject is our goal.

To this extent, the link between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the work done in the EWCs becomes more evident. It increases awareness. Since the issues are global the best solutions might be the European ones.

• Languages

Interpretation will be provided in English and French.

• Registration

To receive an invitation, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This conference is organized with the support of the European Commission.

15 February 2008, Brussels

CEC replies and comments to the Bureau of European Policy Advisers analysis on "Europe's Social Reality - a Stocktaking"

Download CEC position