WRITTEN QUESTION E-0366/01 by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission. Xerox announcement about restructuring.
Date: 2001-02-14
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: application of EU law, competence of the Member States, industrial restructuring, worker consultation, worker information

C 340 E/20

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

(2001/C 340 E/026)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0366/01

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2001)

Subject: Xerox announcement about restructuring

Xerox is currently in the process of restructuring its European Manufacturing Operations at Venrey, in
Holland, Mitcheldean in the UK and Dundalk in Ireland.

In view of the negative publicity when Xerox undertook a similar operation in 1999 that led to the
European Parliament condemning it for failure to consult adequately the workforce and its clear wish this
time to make any such announcement when the European Commission does not have restructuring or
consultation of workers on the agenda, would the Commission care to suggest to Xerox some dates when
it would be appropriate for it to make its announcement?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-0362/01, E-0363/01 and E-0366/01
given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 2001)

With regard to employees(cid:146) rights, decisions on corporate restructuring need to be taken in compliance
with the national legislation implementing a number of directives in the field of labour law and industrial
relations, in particular Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of
the Member States relating to collective redundancies (1), Council Directive 98/50/EC of 29 June 1998 on
the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees(cid:146) rights in
the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of businesses (2) and 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 (3).

All
these Directives provide for adequate and effective information and consultation of workers(cid:146)
representatives before decisions are taken and implemented which can affect them. Xerox is of course
bound by these obligations with regard to any decision falling within the scope of the above mentioned
Directives in relation to its European operations.

However, given that all Member States involved in the envisaged restructuring operation have properly
incorporated into their national law the provisions of the Directives mentioned above, the Commission
wants to underline that any issues arising in this area are a matter for the national industrial relations(cid:146)
procedures and/or the national courts in the first instance.

The Commission wishes to inform the Honourable Member that concerning employment aspects no
meetings or contacts with representatives of Xerox or companies representing Xerox or workers(cid:146)
representatives took place with Commission officials and that no such meetings or contacts are planned
for the future.

(1) OJ L 225, 12.8.1998.
(2) OJ L 201, 17.7.1998.
(3) OJ L 254, 30.9.1994.