This month, it’s been exactly 30 years since the European Union’s First EWC Directive officially came into force. On September 22, 1996, European Works Councils became a new platform for management and employee representatives from across European countries to discuss major business decisions affecting workers in multiple nations. EWCs are mandatory for large multinational companies with…
I know: summer is upon us, and in most European countries it’s already too hot to think about anything other than the holidays. But before we go, there’s one more thing I’d like you to think about before you (and I) shut down the computer. It’s about one of the most important aspects of working…
As the year draws to a close, I am grateful for the many European Works Councils, Select Committees and employee representatives I’ve had the pleasure of working with across Europe. From strategy sessions to training days and challenging consultations, it has been inspiring to see how EWCs continue to develop their role, strengthen their voice…
(Spoiler alert: not quite.) I guess it’s that time of the year again: The revised European Works Council Directive (EU) 2025/2450 has been published in the EU Official Journal, on 11 December 2025. Nearly a year after the European Parliament voted to improve the EWC Directive … After years of debate, this is the text Member States will…
During a training this week, I asked a simple question: “Who should be informed first — the EWC or the local council/union?” The answers were all over the place. Different laws, different timelines, different realities. And here’s what I see in practice: Local bodies often don’t receive the full picture early enough. Not because they’re not important,…
At Pemota Consultancy, we have been involved in quite a lot of divestitures lately. Previously, we outlined five essential points for a successful divestiture. Successful for the employees as well as for the seller and the buyer. When CPW, a joint venture of General Mills and Nestlé, recently decided they had to cut back on…
