ABSTRACT
The establishment of European Works Councils (EWCs) in 'community-scale' undertakings and the initiatives towards the co-ordination of national collective bargaining strategies can be seen both as an expression and a consequence of this. Both elements are amenable to further development. EWCs are frequently viewed as bodies composed of both employer and employee representatives. There was a strong mutually reinforcing interaction between the establishment of EWCs via voluntary agreements and the passage of the EWC Directive. The first European bodies at group level for employee information and consultation were established purely for the purpose of information disclosure. EWCs are venturing into the uncharted terrain initially opened up through voluntary agreements. Information and consultation rights have to be tested and put into practice, and formal acceptance of information rights has to be turned into actual recognition as a form of employee representation.
