WRITTEN QUESTION E-0497/00 by Esko Seppänen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Revision of the EWC Directive.
Date: 2000-02-24
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EC Directive, Finland, cessation of trading, competence of the Member States, national implementing measure, worker consultation, worker information

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/175

Given that the consultant(cid:146)s report is confidential, the Commission does not plan to send a copy to
Parliament. The Commission would emphasise that it is not in the least responsible for any views
expressed in the report. The Commission is continuing to examine the matter and has not yet taken a
decision. Parliament will be duly informed.

(1) OJ C 303 E, 24.10.2000, p. 179.

(2000/C 330 E/199)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0497/00

by Esko Sepp(cid:228)nen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 February 2000)

Subject: Revision of the EWC Directive

The German parent company of Fujitsu Siemens Computers has closed its company in Finland for reasons
which are clearly not economic, in order to preserve jobs in Germany. In this connection the company
was clearly in breach of its consultation and information obligations under the EWC directive, and of its
obligation
responsible
(COM(1998) 612 fin. (1). Is it within the Commission(cid:146)s power to monitor compliance with this directive
and does it have plans to amend the directive to make it more binding?

decision-makers

the managers

decision with

discuss

and

its

to

(1) OJ C 2, 5.1.1999, p. 3.

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(3 April 2000)

The Commission does not have any information at its disposal which enables it to conclude that the
employee information and consultation obligations under Council Directive 94/45/EC of 22 September
1994 on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings
and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees (1)
have not been respected in the case referred to by the Honourable Member. In any event, as this Directive
has been properly incorporated into German law,
it is first and foremost the task of the national
authorities to assess any infringements of the rules in force which may be brought to their attention by
those who feel they have been wronged.

The Commission is currently looking at how this Directive has been implemented. Within the next few
weeks it will adopt a report to the European Parliament and Council on this subject.

The Commission has on several occasions emphasised the need for the proposal for a Council Directive
establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees to be adopted by Parliament and
the Council without delay. Clearly, the provisions contained in the proposal are not yet in force.

(1) OJ L 254, 30.9.1994.

(2000/C 330 E/200)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0500/00

by Charles Tannock (PPE-DE) to the Council

(24 February 2000)

Subject: Member State violations of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and the

consolidated Treaty establishing the European Community

Is the Council aware that, as of this moment, more than one hundred and eighty Members of the European
Parliament have signed the following motion for a resolution:

Mindful of the provisions of Article 3 of Protocol No 4 to the Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950) as amended by Protocol No 11 (cid:145)requiring that