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Industrial relations and EU labour law

There are around 70 EU social directives, protecting workers and giving them rights in areas such as health and safety, non-discrimination at work, working conditions (e.g. agency workers and posted workers) as well as information and consultation about collective redundancies, transfers of companies and other workplace issues.

BusinessEurope wants the focus to be on proper enforcement and implementation of existing EU social legislation and cutting unnecessary red tape. This does not mean lowering social standards, rather ensuring it protects workers without unnecessary costs and bureaucracy.

We also believe the EU should focus on the big issues and not get immersed in dealing with the detail. Action has to take place at the appropriate level, in line with the principle of subsidiarity.

Publications

Position papers Date
The European Commission proposal to revise the European Works Councils Directive - a BusinessEurope position paper 21/02/2024
Revision of the European Works Councils Directive - a BusinessEurope advocacy paper 30/11/2023
Working time flexibility - a BusinessEurope policy orientation note 07/09/2023
A possible revision of the European Works Council Directive - BusinessEurope response to the first-phase social partner consultation 25/05/2023
Draft Guidelines on application of competition law and collective bargaining of solo self-employed - BusinessEurope reply to the consultation 23/02/2022
Collective bargaining agreements for self-employed - Scope of application EU competition rules - BusinessEurope reply to the public consultation 20/05/2021
European Commission proposal for a directive on pay transparency - a BusinessEurope position paper 05/05/2021
Proposal for an EU directive on fair minimum wages - a BusinessEurope position paper 04/12/2020
Action plan to implement the European pillar of social rights - BusinessEurope reply to the public consultation 27/11/2020
A possible action addressing the challenges related to fair minimum wages - Response to second-stage social partner consultation 07/09/2020
A possible action addressing the challenges related to fair minimum wages - Response to first-stage social partner consultation 19/02/2020
Commission proposal for a Directive on transparent and predictable working conditions – BusinessEurope’s views 26/02/2018
Follow-up to the second-phase consultation on a possible revision of the written statement (Directive 91/533/EEC) - a BusinessEurope position paper 08/12/2017
European pillar of social rights - A BusinessEurope orientation paper 30/06/2017
First-phase consultation of social partners under Article 154 TFEU on a possible action addressing the challenges of access to social protection for people in all forms of employment in the framework of the European pillar of social rights 23/06/2017
First-phase consultation of social partners under Article 154 TFEU on a possible revision of the written statement directive (Directive 91/533/CEE) in the framework of the European pillar of social rights - BusinessEurope's response to the consultation 23/06/2017
European Works Councils - Comments on the functioning of the recast directive 09/02/2017
Press releases Date
Commission proposal for revision of European Works Council Directive would damage well-functioning social dialogue practices 24/01/2024
BusinessEurope offers to the ETUC to negotiate the revision of the European Works Councils Directive 04/10/2023
EU minimum wage rules must not undermine social partners’ competences 16/06/2022
EU’s social policy should not interfere with Member States’ competences 06/12/2021
European business: Solid economic recovery is key for a social Europe 07/05/2021
EU Pillar of Social Rights: We need a trust-based social partnership 04/03/2021
Proposed EU directive on minimum wages is a recipe for disaster 28/10/2020
Employment and Social Affairs Council: steps in the direction of a more realistic approach to social Europe 22/06/2018
Written statement directive: yes to modernisation, no to new burdens on companies 21/12/2017
BusinessEurope offers to negotiate with ETUC on written statement directive 27/10/2017
Public letters Date
BusinessEurope’s response to the Commission second-stage consultation on European Works Councils - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Nicolas Schmit 04/10/2023
BusinessEurope offers to open negotiations on the revision of the European Works Councils Directive - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Esther Lynch 04/10/2023
The Porto Social Commitment - signed on the occasion of the Porto Social Summit, 7 May 2021 07/05/2021
European Works Councils - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to DG for Employment Joost Korte 08/07/2019
Commission proposal for a directive on transparent and predictable working conditions - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Biser Petkov 26/02/2018
Commission proposal for a directive on transparent and predictable working conditions - Letter from Markus J. Beyrer to Commissioner Marianne Thyssen 26/02/2018
Speeches Date
Porto Social Summit - Speech by Pierre Gattaz, President of BusinessEurope 07/05/2021
Last updated: 17 January 2019