B3-1617/93

Resolution on the European works council

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

-having regard to the social protocol to the Maastricht Treaty,

-having regard to its opinion of 10 July 1991 on the establishment of a European works council in Community-scale undertakings or groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees,

-having regard to the Council's negotiations on this report,

-having regard to the social action programme,

A.whereas the Community has committed itself to economic and social cohesion,

B.whereas the credibility of Economic and Monetary Union depends on the achievement of economic and social cohesion,

C.whereas important proposals for the realization of the social dimension of the internal market have still not been approved,

D.whereas the signatories of the social protocol to the Maastricht Treaty have undertaken to strengthen the social dimension of the internal market as the latter is completed,

E.whereas it is a fundamental right of employees to be informed and consulted on their firm's corporate policy,

F.aware that completion of the internal market is resulting in many transfrontier closures and mergers,

G.whereas some undertakings in the Community have transferred parts of their operations elsewhere without previously consulting and informing the employees concerned,

H.regretting that the adoption of a directive may have an impact in only eleven Member States, which may result in social dumping,

1.Notes that the Social Affairs Council has still not succeeded in adopting a common position on the establishment of a European works council for the purposes of informing and consulting the employees of transfrontier undertakings;

2.Points out that under the social protocol this proposal may be approved by a qualified majority in the Council and proposals concerning the rights of employees of transfrontier undertakings to be consulted may be submitted again by the procedures defined in the social protocol, so that obstruction by one Member State cannot result in employees being unable to exercise their rights to be informed and consulted on corporate matters in their firm;

3.Requests the Council to consider the amendments proposed by the European Parliament that concern the sphere of application and powers;

4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission and the Council.