WRITTEN QUESTION No. 4218/97 by Laura GONZÁLEZ ÁLVAREZ , Pedro MARSET CAMPOS , Alonso PUERTA to the Commission. Lack of information supplied to European Works Councils
Date: 1998-01-21
Institutions: European Parliament, GONZALEZ ALVAREZ, MARSET CAMPOS, PUERTA
Subjects: European undertaking, job security, labour law, multinational enterprise, telecommunications industry, trade union, transfer of businesses, worker consultation, worker information, works council

C 187/130

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

16. 6. 98

Private arrangements are being made outside the above mentioned fisheries agreements. The contracting parties
to the International Baltic sea fishery commission (IBSFC) have agreed (fishery rule 2.1) that vessels fishing
under  such  private  arrangements  should  have  a  specific  authorization  for  a  defined  fishing  activity  from  the
official authorities of the flag state and of the country where the fishing takes place. For monitoring purposes, the
authorising contracting party in whose waters the fishing takes place shall also, prior to the commencement of the
fishery, communicate to the IBSFC secretariat such specifications as the species, quantities, period and the name
of vessels. The IBSFC circulates this information to the contracting parties.

The Commission is convinced that such regional and bilateral co-operation contributes to economic integration
in general and will have positive effects on the next enlargement negotiations.

(98/C 187/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4141/97
by Laura Gonza·lez A· lvarez (GUE/NGL)
and Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(21 January 1998)

Subject: Failure to provide information to European works councils

The  Swiss  multinational  Ericsson  produces  technology  for  the  most  powerful  sector  of  the  world  economy,
telecommunications.  Most  if  its  resources  are  in  Europe,  mainly  in  Sweden,  with  its  main  market  being  the
European Union.

The company has reached agreements with two United States companies for the latter to take over manufacture
of  all  Ericsson(cid:146)s  communications  equipment  worldwide.  This  decision  may  have  serious  consequences  for
thousands of European workers employed by the Ericsson Group and the imposition of this plan in Spain would
involve the transfer of numerous workers to other companies. This operation offers no guarantees of industrial
stability or of employment with the new company and, in addition, jeopardizes other jobs in auxiliary and service
industries currently working for Ericsson in Spain.

Bearing in mind that the European works council representing workers at Ericsson was neither informed nor
consulted on this decision and that trade union representatives in both countries were notified unofficially after it
had been carried out:

1. 

2. 

Is the Commission aware of this situation?

Is the Commission aware that Ericsson(cid:146)s main global market is in the EU and that, if this policy is carried
out, this multinational company will no longer be meeting the responsibilities incumbent upon it in terms of
maintaining jobs and creating an industrial fabric, given the scale of the benefits it reaps in Europe?

3.  Does the Commission not consider that the abandonment of industrial activities by major companies can
lead to the loss of tens of thousands of jobs in a very important sector employing unskilled workers in the
European Union?

4.  Does  the  Commission  consider  that  Ericsson  has  violated  the  right  to  information  and  consultation  of
workers laid down in Directive 94/45/EEC? (1) Will the Commission ensure that Ericsson complies with the
directive as regards the establishment of a European Works Council and an information and consultation
procedure for workers in Community-scale undertakings and groups of undertakings?

(1)  OJ L 254, 30.9.1994, p. 64.

(98/C 187/203)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4218/97
by Laura Gonza·lez A· lvarez (GUE/NGL), Pedro Marset Campos (GUE/NGL)
and Alonso Puerta (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

Subject: Lack of information supplied to European Works Councils

(21 January 1998)

Ericsson,  a  Swedish  multinational,  produces  technology  for  the  leading  sector  of  the  world  economy  ›
telecommunications.  It  has  most  of  its  resources  in  Europe,  mainly  in  Sweden  and  its  main  market  is  the
European Union itself.