European Works Councils - EWC
A guide to support managers’ involvement in European works councils
October 2011
Under the initiative of the French managers’ union CFE-CGC, the PERCEE project has ended with the publication of a Guide on ‘Reinforcing the involvement of professional and managerial staff in European works councils’. The project, supported by the European Commission, was developed in partnership with CEC and its European Federations, which provided experiences from diverse backgrounds.
The guide aims at encouraging managers to get involved in European works councils, by giving practical information and recommendations on how to set up and organise these bodies. Managers are recognised at European level as a specific category of workers with the right to be represented. Taking an active and even leading role in European works councils makes their voice better heard and ensures a better understanding of their specific needs. In addition to useful explanations and first-hand experience, the guide also provides a list of organisations to which managers can turn to for further support.
New brochure on EWC
July 2011
 | The European Commission has published a new brochure compiling the new rules for the establishment of European Works Councils. Indeed, European Works Councils operate henceforth in the new framework of Directive 2009/38/EC adopted in 2009 which replaced previous directives (Member States had a delay until 6 June 2011 to transpose the new Directive into national law). The recast Directive increases the effectiveness of information provided to employees and social partners, improves the representation of every category of workers in the EWC and therefore ensures their consultation (notably in case of restructuring). An adaptation clause has also been introduced, aiming at adaptating European Works Councils in case of significant changes in the structure of the undertaking or group of undertakings. |
European Commission's report to prepare the implementation of the recast Directive on European Works Council
January 2011
The European Commission has published the report of the group of experts and representatives of the EU countries aiming at facilitating the transposition of Directive 2009/38/EC on European Works Council by Member States (by June 2011). This group highlights in its report the potential difficulties for the transposition process and determines ways of avoiding contradictions between the national systems. It also answers to numerous questions deriving from new rules on this topic, as for example the modifications implicated by the new definitions of employee's information and consultation.
Read the report on the Commission's website