Mr President, in September 1994 the Council adopted the Directive on the establishment of a European works council. The transposition of this Directive is the subject of a Commission report. The report submitted by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopts a position on this Commission report. In terms of sheer numbers, we can already talk about the European works council as a success story. When the Directive was adopted by Parliament and the Council in 1994, there were approximately 30 voluntary agreements governing information and consultation in respect of the work forces of companies and groups of companies throughout Europe. In the meantime, this number has risen to above 650. The Commission report demonstrates that the Directive on the European works council was the main driving force behind this development. In establishing European works councils, the solutions, more or less made to measure and reached at company level between the management and the special employee negotiating body, are granted priority. As with the European limited liability company, here too the formula of flexibility, negotiations and minimum standards – applicable if negotiations have not reached a successful conclusion – applies. These are referred to as subsidiary requirements in the EWC Directive. The shocking events at Renault Vilvoorde in Brussels demonstrated for the first time that the aim of the European works councils had not always been achieved, whereby the relocation of production should not be effected in the form of a commando raid but only after the employees concerned have been informed and consulted in good time. However, every light has its shadow. The directive has its weak points, and the Committee for Social Affairs is pressing for a revision. We did not say that this should have been undertaken as early as 1999 or 2000. In the discussion of the social agenda, the Commission specified the year 2002. Our motion for a resolution is intended to form the basis for discussion with a view to the amendment of the EWC Directive. In a range of discussions, hearings and symposia, I have heard the complaint that, in some serious cases – especially in the case of emergency consultation – information and consultation have not been taking place in good time. Therefore, the proposed improvements, which aim to ensure that information and consultation take place in good time, remain the main focus of the report, the object being that advice from the European works council is listened to, and can also be taken into account, prior to decisions by the management. The report is in favour of an enhanced consultation procedure with a view to reaching agreement. Today I would like to add the words: with a view to reaching agreement ‘on the further procedure’. I am not saying that it shall be compulsory to reach agreement, though, as previously in the Committee meetings, I reject the right of veto of the European works council in accordance with Amendment No 5, which was submitted today. My report contains the more elegant solution, proposed by Mrs Ghilardotti, to hold, if necessary, a second round of meetings, as is also provided for by the Directive on the European limited liability company. A broader right to information and consultation on the part of the European works council shall not affect an important stipulation of the directive, formulated in recital K of the present report at the request of Mr Bushill-Matthews. The management’s right to communicate directly with the workforce remains as unaffected as its right to manage the company. Partnership and subsidiarity must also, according to the amendment, determine the contents of the EWC Directive. There are principles of Christian social doctrine which, of course, has supporters in different parties. Based on the initiative of the European Parliament, the legislative text of 1994 established an EWC Directive calling for the spirit of cooperation. Partnership is not a soporific measure. Partnership is intended to provide a clear representation of interests, and also a balancing of the interests of employee and employer by means of information and consultation, which is also advantageous from an economic point of view. The failure to provide information results in uncertainty, distrust and finally anxiety, which leads to blockades. Providing information in good time is a sign of transparency, which breeds trust... (The President cut the speaker off)

Political group: PPE-DE