European trade union common opinion on implementing the new EWC directive

(10 January 2010) The new European works council directive will come into being in 2011. To assist trade unions negotiating a new EWC agreement or when revising an existing agreement, the European trade union federations have prepared a common position on the Directive that we expect will be useful for colleagues.

The New EWC Directive 2009/38/EC: Draft recommendations on negotiating during the transposition period

(from 5th June 2009 to 5th June 2011)

These recommendations do not replace any existing guidelines or checklists. They deal purely with additional issues that may arise concerning EWC agreements signed during the transition period from 5 June 2009 to 5 June 2011. In particular, they are intended to provide guidance on how to anticipate the changes in the Directive; how to ensure that new and renegotiated agreements benefit from all the improvements in the new Directive; and how to support colleagues faced with management attempts to fast-track negotiations or renegotiations in order to circumvent the new obligations.

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