Description
These EWCs do, it is true, represent over eleven million workers, but if all the 1865 firms falling within the scope of the Directive were to comply with its provisions, then a further six million workers would be able to exert cross-border influence on the decisions taken by multinationals.
Most of the multinationals covered by the terms of the Directive have their headquarters in Germany, the USA, Great Britain and France. Their main areas of activity are services, metals and chemicals. Three quarters of the firms covered have operations in these sectors. Only a few are present in ten or more European Economic Area (EEA) countries, while 40% are active in no more than two or three.
The analysis of the agreements concluded - also illustrated by large numbers of charts - provides a wealth of interesting information. Many of the agreements, for example, were set up with the support of European industry federations and in 30% of cases this involvement is officially acknowledged in the text of the agreement. This is clear evidence of the important role played by the trade unions in implementing the EWC Directive, constituting an aspect which ought finally to receive recognition in its revision. A relatively large number of multinational undertakings are also active in the accession countries, but less than 30% of them take advantage of the option - at this stage still voluntary - to offer representation or observer status on the EWC to the workers' representatives from these countries. With EU enlargement, the number of companies covered by the terms of the Directive is bound to rise significantly.
Also available in French and in German
