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

Public letters		Date
	Applying the discontinuity principle on European works councils (EWCs) - Letters from Markus J. Beyrer to European Parliament groups	05/09/2024
	Revision of the European Works Councils Directive - Joint EU employers' statement ahead of the Coreper meeting on 5 June 2024	31/05/2024
	Revision of the European Works Councils Directive - Joint EU employers' statement	22/03/2024
	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
	La Hulpe high-level conference on the European pillar of social rights - Address by Markus J. Beyrer	16/04/2024
	Porto Social Summit - Speech by Pierre Gattaz, President of BusinessEurope	07/05/2021

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

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Industrial relations and EU labour law

Publications

Contact

Anna Kwiatkiewicz