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Prospects for participation and co-determination under the European Company Statute
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| involved organisations |
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Hans Böckler Foundation (Germany)
European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)
SYNDEX (France)
together with the Labour Research Department (GB) and Sindnova (Italy)
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| financing |
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funded by European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs (B3-4003)
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| time |
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2003
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| description |
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The Directive amending the European Company Statute with regard to worker participation has to be transposed into national law by 8 October 2004. Experience with the EWC Directive shows how important it is to develop a common understanding among workers’ representatives from different EU countries who have to work together and for all trade union organisations of the EU to be prepared for such legislation as early as possible. The project therefore seeked to spread knowledge and understanding of existing national systems on board workers’ participation at board level, existing practical experience and the rules provided by the new legislation. It acted as a common platform to address these issues. Information was presented at altogether three transnational seminars in Düsseldorf, Paris and Brussels with always five countries represented. The seminars were attended by three representatives from always five member states: a national expert, and two workers’ representatives (in principal a trade union official who has an interest in the Directive and an elected workers’ representative either at board level in a multinational or an EWC member).
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| publications |
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Electronic publication: Workers' Participation at board level in the EU-15 countries - Reports on the national systems and practices (pdf, 1.3 MB)
book: ETUI and Hans Böckler Foundation: The European Company - Prospects for board-level representation. Brussels and Düsseldorf 2004. Link
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| contact |
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Dr. Rolf Simons (Hans Böckler Foundation)
Dr. Norbert Kluge (European Trade Union Institute) |
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more:  |
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The role of board-level employee representatives in European Union enterprises:
A transnational information exchange and study project |
involved
organisations |
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Project Leader / Co-ordination: University of Limerick, Ireland
European partner: European Trade Union Institute, Brussels
National Partners
Denmark – LO Skolen, Helsingør; Finland – Kiljava Institute / SAK; France – IRES Paris; Germany – DGB Bildungswerk, Hattingen; Greece – Greek Worker Directors’ Group / POSYME (Public Sector Employees’ Union Federation); Hungary – MSZOSZ, National Confederation of Trade Unions; Ireland – University of Limerick / Irish Worker Directors’ Group / Irish Congress of Trade Unions; Malta – Workers’ Participation Development Centre, University of Malta; The Netherlands – SBI Training and Consultancy
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| financing |
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funded by European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs (B3-4003) up to 80\% of cost of project |
| time |
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2004-2006 |
| description |
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With the legislation on the European Company (SE), the issue of employees having representatives on the boards of the enterprises in which they work has become an important element in the debate on employee involvement in the EU. This project aims to contribute to advancing the idea of employee board-level representatives and in contributing to the debate on this form of employee involvement.
Objectives: - To promote transnational co-operation between board-level representatives within the EU Member States and the Acceding Countries / to develop a programme of education and training and exchange of ideas and information on the economic and social responsibilities of enterprise directors;
- To undertake a research project on the roles and responsibilities of existing employee representatives at board-level and to identify the common problems and obstacles faced by these representatives;
- to provide on-going education and training materials
- To contribute, in a practical way, to social dialogue and workplace partnership in EU workplaces.
Three main phases:
First, the core part of the project will be a series of national workshops and transnational seminars. The topics to be address in these events might include e.g. the European Commission’s approach to employee involvement / systems of corporate governance in the EU and the role and duties of enterprise boards in national systems and in a future SE/ the legal and social responsibilities of enterprise directors/ financial issues (e.g. the role of financial participation in European enterprises; the dilemma for employee representatives with regard to the obligation of confidentiality and information disclosure).
Second, a research project will be undertaken by way of an agreed questionnaire sent to all board-level employee representatives in the nine participating countries. The questionnaire will focus on such issues as the role of board-level employee representatives, relations with other board members and company directors, with management and with the trade unions, both within the enterprise and nationally.
Third: reports will be prepared on each seminar, highlighting the key outcomes, problems identified and solutions proposed. Documentation will also be prepared, based on the results of the research module and the outcome of the seminars
Follow-up: a high level EU conference, attended by key European Commission, employers and trade union representatives from the Member States
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| publications |
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- Reports of the transnational seminars on a) national systems and b) the relevant theme selected for each transnational seminar;
- Analysis of the survey results;
- Other relevant documentation which will provide a wealth of material and information for board-level employee representatives both in the Member States but also for any potential employee representatives on the boards of SEs.
Proposed languages: DE; DK; EL; EN; FR; NL; FI, HU
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| contact |
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Kevin P O’Kelly (University of Limerick)
Teresa Murray (University of Limerick)
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ViVe - Examining Vice-Versa Effects between Workers’ Participation Practices and
Making Use of the European Legal Framework in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland |
| involved organisations |
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Project Leader / Co-ordination- Wilke, Maack and Partner (Hamburg) mandated by
- the European Metalworkers Federation (EMF) and
- the European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers' Federation (EMCEF)
Partners- European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)
- Europrofis Prague (Dr. Danica Prazakova)
- Institute for Political Science of the Hungarian Acadamy of Science (László Neumann)
- NSZZ Solidarnosc /International Department (Andrzej Matla)
- NSZZ Solidarnosc /Sekretariat Metalowców (Adam Ditmer)
- NSZZ Solidarnosc /Chemical Industry Workers Secretariat (Andrzej Julian Konecki)
- Hungarian Metalworkers Federation (Vasas) Hungary (Károly Szöke)
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| financing |
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funded by European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs (B3-4003) |
| time |
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December 2003 – December 2004 |
| description |
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This project aims at establishing a platform for the exchange of experiences, perspectives and examples of good practices regarding the implementation of the EU legislation in the area of workers’ participation in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.
The project is conducted in three phases as follows:
- A preparatory phase during which the state of the art and prospects of the practical implementation of the EU Directives on employee participation are explored;
- An implementation phase during which the situation and the current practice of workers’ participation/representation is investigated. 10 company case studies will be carried out in the metal and chemical sector in each country. Additionally, a survey questionnaire is conducted in multinational companies covered by the EWC Directive. The main results are presented and discussed with shop floor actors and social partners during national seminars;
- A final phase during which the country specific reports are evaluated by Wilke, Maack and Partner in co-operation with the ETUI resulting in a synthesis report. This report will be presented in an international conference. The ViVe-steering group will make arrangements concerning the dissemination of the main results. They would also decide the main issues and objectives of a follow-up project.
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| publications / dissemination |
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International Conference Nov/Dec 2004
40-60 pages publication in Dec 2004 (printed and online versions) |
| contact |
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Eckhard Voss (Wilke, Maack and Partner)
Bela Galgoczi (ETUI)
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