BEERG Newsletter - EWCs: Radtke report to be voted on

As we write this newsletter, the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee is getting ready to vote on the Radtke Report which calls for a radical update of the European Works Council Directive. 

Among the changes the reports call for are: no final management decision before the EWC opinion; courts to have to powers to suspend management decisions; €10m/2% fines in cases of “unintentional” breaches of I+C obligations: management to fund all legal actions; union officials to have the right to attend all SNB and EWC meetings in addition to an expert; EWCs to be able to consult with national representatives in formulating their opinion; 2 meetings a year; SNBs to run for 18 months.

It seems that in response to the report, the Commission will have to propose a revised Directive. In her “election manifesto” Ursula von der Leyen said;

When Parliament, acting by a majority of its members, adopts resolutions requesting that the Commission submit legislative proposals, I commit to responding with a legislative act, in full respect of the proportionality, subsidiarity and better law making principles.

We will report in full on this in the coming week. It will also be on the agenda for our BEERG Network Meeting in February in Brussels: Book Here.