Commission opens feedback period to review the European Works Councils (EWCs) Directive towards strengthening their role.

From 26 January to March 2024, a feedback period is open on the site of the European Commission on a potential future revision of the European Works Council (EWCs) Directive, Directive 2009/38/EC of 6 May 2009 on the establishment of a European Works Council or a procedure in Community-scale undertakings and Community-scale groups of undertakings for the purposes of informing and consulting employees.

The proposed revision aims to strengthen the role of EWCs by facilitating their creation, fostering more meaningful information and consultation, ensuring they have the necessary capacity to carry out their work and, strengthening gender balance. All feedback will be summarised by the European Commission and presented to the European Parliament and Council with the aim of feeding into the legislative debate. Once adopted, Member States will have one year to incorporate the Directive into national law, starting the new rules to apply 2 years later.

European Works Councils (EWCs) are information and consultation bodies representing EU-based employees in multinational companies (companies with more than 1,000 employees) operating in two or more EU countries.

The main proposed changes include, among others:

• Exemptions form the current Directive will be removed, giving equal rights to workers of multinational companies for requesting the establishment of an EWC.
• Ensuring that workers in multinational companies are consulted in a timely and meaningful way on issues concerning them.
• Strengthening gender balance, through the duty to include provisions in EWC agreements for attining a gender-balance composition.