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The European Works Council Directive plays an essential role in good corporate governance throughout Europe. Employees’ representatives sitting in European Works Councils are to be informed and consulted by management
on the situation and development of the company and on any significant decision that could have an impact on the workforce.
The European Works Council Directive was first adopted on 22 September 1994. The ETUC has long been asking for a revision to make it better able to respond to new challenges. Following an active campaign by the ETUC and the European Industry Federations, a new Directive was finally adopted on 6 May 2009. In the revision process, the trade union voice was clearly heard and European Works Councils will be better equipped with the tools they need for a stronger right to information and consultation.
Now is the time to make those improvements work in practice. The ETUC has developed a guide designed to help trade unionists and practitioners in the area of information and consultation around Europe to make the most
of the provisions of the European Works Council Directive.
The guide is a complete article-by-article legal commentary, written in an accessible style so that it can be used by everybody with an interest in European Works Councils and their functioning. It provides an in-depth overview
of the Directive and is frequently illustrated by practical examples drawn from existing good practices. Furthermore, the reader will be able to identify easily the changes introduced by the 2009 revision.
Part I contains general remarks on objectives and principles. Parts II, III and IV contain an article by article analysis of the provisions of the Directive and their consequences. A summary table of the guide can be found in Part V.
From September 2010, the guide will also be
available in French and German.
Published by
the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI),
May 2010
Price: €17
(The full report is available for
free download at www.etui.org)
To order copies, please
contact Kristel Vergeylen:
+32 2 224 05 07; kvergeyl@etui.org
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