OF THE COMMON MARKET . THE RECITALS IN THE PREAMBLE TO THE DIRECTIVE STATE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT GREATER PROTECTION SHOULD BE AFFORDED TO WORKERS IN THE EVENT OF COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES WHILST TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE NEED FOR BALANCED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ; THAT , DESPITE INCREASING CONVERGENCE , DIFFERENCES STILL REMAIN BETWEEN THE PROVISIONS IN FORCE IN THE MEMBER STATES OF THE COMMUNITY CONCERNING THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR SUCH REDUNDANCIES AND THE MEASURES DESIGNED TO ALLEVIATE THE CONSEQUENCES OF REDUNDANCY FOR WORKERS ; THAT THESE DIFFERENCES MAY HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE FUNCTIONING OF THE COMMON MARKET ; THAT THE COUNCIL RESOLUTION OF 21 JANUARY 1974 MAKES PROVISION FOR A DIRECTIVE ON THE APPROXIMATION OF MEMBER STATES ' LEGISLATION ON COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES , AND THAT IT IS THEREFORE NECESSARY TO PROMOTE THAT APPROXIMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 117 OF THE TREATY WHICH IS INTENDED TO PROMOTE IMPROVED WORKING CONDITIONS AND AN IMPROVED STANDARD OF LIVING FOR WORKERS , SO AS TO MAKE POSSIBLE THEIR HARMONIZATION WHILE THE IMPROVEMENT IS BEING MAINTAINED .
3 WITH THIS IN VIEW THE DIRECTIVE DETERMINES THE SCOPE OF THE CONCEPT OF ' ' COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES ' ' WHILST LEAVING THE MEMBER STATES TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THE TWO CRITERIA WHICH IT LAYS DOWN .
4 ARTICLE 2 OF THE DIRECTIVE PROVIDES THAT WHERE AN EMPLOYER IS CONTEMPLATING COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES , HE MUST BEGIN CONSULTATIONS WITH THE WORKERS ' REPRESENTATIVES WITH A VIEW TO REACHING AN AGREEMENT . HE IS REQUIRED TO SUPPLY THEM WITH ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION AND IN ANY EVENT TO GIVE IN WRITING THE REASONS FOR THE REDUNDANCIES , THE NUMBER OF WORKERS TO BE MADE REDUNDANT , THE NUMBER OF WORKERS NORMALLY EMPLOYED AND THE PERIOD OVER WHICH THE REDUNDANCIES ARE TO BE EFFECTED . HE IS REQUIRED TO FORWARD TO THE COMPETENT PUBLIC AUTHORITY A COPY OF THAT WRITTEN COMMUNICATION .
5 ARTICLES 3 AND 4 OF THE DIRECTIVE CONTAIN PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE MEASURES TO BE TAKEN BY THE COMPETENT PUBLIC AUTHORITY . THE EMPLOYER IS REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THAT AUTHORITY IN WRITING OF ANY PROJECTED COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES . THE NOTIFICATION MUST CONTAIN ALL RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE MATTERS SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 2 AND , IN ADDITION , ON THE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE WORKERS ' REPRESENTATIVES . A COPY OF THAT NOTIFICATION MUST BE FORWARDED TO THE WORKERS ' REPRESENTATIVES . AS A GENERAL RULE COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES MAY NOT TAKE EFFECT EARLIER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER NOTIFICATION . THE COMPETENT PUBLIC AUTHORITY MUST USE THIS PERIOD TO SEEK SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS RAISED BY THE COLLECTIVE REDUNDANCIES AND THE ABOVE-MENTIONED PERIOD MAY BE EXTENDED FOR THAT PURPOSE .
6 ARTICLE 6 OF THE DIRECTIVE REQUIRES THE MEMBER STATES TO BRING INTO FORCE , WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS FOLLOWING NOTIFICATION OF THE DIRECTIVE , THE LAWS , REGULATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS NEEDED IN ORDER TO COMPLY THEREWITH .
7 ARTICLE 5 STATES THAT THE DIRECTIVE IS NOT TO AFFECT THE RIGHT