Mr President, today’s debate and tomorrow’s vote in the Chamber mark the end of a long, difficult path which the three institutions have been following for some years, conducting a frank, heated debate on a subject of major importance: the information, consultation and participation of workers. With conciliation, which was concluded satisfactorily on 17 December last, the European Union defined minimum information and consultation standards to be applied throughout Union territory. Thus, after the directives on European Works Councils, the European Company Statute and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, this directive completes the existing Community and national frameworks, which can help to ensure that necessary preparations are made for the change, that restructuring is carried out in an acceptable context and that the ‘employment’ objective is given the necessary priority in the current situation. It seems to me particularly significant that agreement has been reached before the Barcelona Summit. Almost all the Member States have a legal framework in place – either statutory or contractual in origin – which seeks to ensure that workers are informed and consulted: almost all, I said, but not all, and this directive extends the right so that it exists throughout the Union. Basically, this directive recognises the rights of workers and their representatives in all undertakings with less than 50 employees to be informed and consulted about all aspects of the life of the undertaking, particularly the implications of company choices on employment, the organisation of work, training and skill development. It is important that the directive should focus on the content and procedures, including time frames, for informing and consulting workers. It explicitly lays down that information and consultation must be timely, for that is a prerequisite for the success of the restructuring and adaptation processes of undertakings and of processes identifying anticipatory measures necessary to offset negative impact on workers. It recognises a number of rights of workers’ representatives and of workers themselves; it lays down sanctions that the Member States have to introduce into their own legislation – when implementing and applying the directive – effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions. I feel that this is a particularly important point and it has been the subject of much debate. The Commission’s initial plan, supported by Parliament, was to lay down a European sanction. However, in respect for the principle of subsidiarity, the directive stipulates that the Member States themselves should introduce sanctions. A transitional period is also laid down for those States which do not yet have any statutory system – either legal or contractual – although it is shorter than that provided for in the common position. Clearly, the European Parliament would have liked more: it would have liked more specific information, clearer definition and more content, but considering the sensitivity of the subject and the resistance in recent months from both governments and lobbies, I feel that we can consider ourselves satisfied with the result. The Parliamentary delegation to the Conciliation Committee voted unanimously for this agreement. We can be satisfied because rights are recognised, the social dialogue is given due importance and the principle of subsidiarity is respected while a uniform framework is defined for the entire territory of the Union: there will no longer be A class workers and B class workers when it comes to the rights recognised in undertakings. I want to end by thanking, in particular, the Commissioner, Mrs Diamantopoulou, and her staff, the Belgian Presidency and Mrs Onkelinx. I would point out that we were three women, the three of us, in particular, working on this directive. I feel that it was our determination and our strong awareness of the major importance of the subject, not least – supported as we were, I by my committee and Parliament and the Commissioner and the Minister by their convictions – which enabled us to bring such a vital process to a conclusion. In my opinion, the Barcelona Summit will be a good opportunity for us to see whether our conclusions have a positive, practical impact.

Political group: PSE