Weaker consultation directive gets go-ahead

The directive giving employees rights to a minimum level of information and consultation across the European Union looked likely to be finally agreed as Labour Research went to press. However, the directive is weaker than the draft agreed by the European Parliament.

The directive had been accepted in principle by the Council of Ministers in June and a strengthened draft, from the point of view of unions, was later agreed by the European Parliament (see Labour Research November 2001, page 8).

But Council and Parliament needed to agree the wording before the directive could be finally approved, and negotiations between the two sides reached a climax last month. The text which emerged contained few of the improvements the Parliament had inserted.

There are changes to the preamble, which sets outs the intention of the directive. These include a new reference to the aim of "fostering social dialogue within public administrations". There is also a change in the timetable for smaller companies in the UK and Ireland. It will apply to those with between 50 and 100 employees six years after its adoption rather than seven. Overall, however, it is very close to the original Council text.

The Labour Research Department is holding a conference on the new information and consultation rights in April.