WRITTEN QUESTION P-2103/99 by Marie-Noëlle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission. Collective redundancies at Michelin.
Date: 1999-11-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, France, collective dismissal, labour law

1.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 219 E/91

Answer given by Mr Fischler on behalf of the Commission

(9 December 1999)

The Honourable Member is requested to refer to the answers given to her Written Questions P-1537/99 (1)
and P-2067/99 (2).

The Commission is in the process of drafting proposals for a Regulation to transpose the recommenda-
tions made by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and other
multilateral organisations that manage tuna stocks. The proposals are due to be adopted by the
Commission in January 2000.

(1) OJ C 170 E, 20.6.2000.
(2)

See page 82.

(2000/C 219 E/109)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2103/99

by Marie-Noºlle Lienemann (PSE) to the Commission

(12 November 1999)

Subject: Collective redundancies at Michelin

In view of the numerous scandals concerning collective redundancies (for example, the Renault Vilvorde
affair), in particular redundancies which are merely aimed at boosting shareholders(cid:146) profits, what does the
Commission intend to do in order to update the directive on collective redundancies so as to improve
protection for employees(cid:146) rights and to avoid jobs being axed?

In the specific case of Michelin, what measures does the Commission intend to take in order to ensure that
the company complies in full with the provisions of the directive?

it would be appropriate to introduce provisions enabling
Does the Commission not consider that
employees to challenge the justification for redundancies on economic grounds before they are imple-
mented?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(30 November 1999)

The Commission would remind the Honourable Member that its proposal of 11 November 1998 on
informing and consulting employees in the European Community (1) aims precisely to complement
Community and national rules in force in this area and to make them more effective, particularly the
provisions of Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to collective redundancies (2).

Parliament delivered an opinion on this proposal at first reading and a common position from the Council
is now awaited; the Commission considers that the Council should speed up its work on this.

The Commission does not have any information to suggest that the provisions of Directive 98/59/EC and
those which transpose this Directive into French law have been contravened by the company mentioned,
due to the general nature of the announcement that 7 500 jobs will be cut in the next three years.

With regard to checking the justification for collective redundancies, the Commission would remind the
Honourable Member that rules allowing employees to contest a redundancy that is unfounded or improper
are in place in all Member States. This subject is mentioned in the Commission Communication of
25 November 1998 entitled (cid:145)Modernising the organisation of work (cid:129) A positive approach to change(cid:146) (3),
among the questions which the social partners are invited to examine in the context of (cid:145)allowing new
forms of contractual relationships and career paths to develop... while providing security to workers, e.g. in
terms of employment continuity (cid:133)(cid:146) (point 2.1.3 of the above Communication).

(1) OJ C 2, 5.1.1999.
(2) OJ L 225, 12.8.1998.
(3) COM(98) 592 final.