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Portugal: employers’ social contributions could be cut in 2012 to revive the industry’s competitiveness
Cutting the single social tax (TSU).  In practice, two percentages are applied concerning the TSU: 11% on employees’ share and 23.7% on employers’ share.  Only the latter should be affected by the...
Germany: only 2.2 million of employees are covered by sectoral minimum wage negotiated by the social partners
Minimum wage is not yet in force in the temporary sector.  The WSI Institute lists two types of sectoral minimum wages: those that are mandatory for all businesses in one sector via the “Posted...
Brazil: eight million people to enjoy new vocational training program by 2014
Workers’ training was placed at the center of the Dilma administration in terms of employment.  The bill establishing the National Program for Access to Technical Education (Programa Nacional de...
Germany: Council of “five experts” requests increasing retirement age to 69
Should retirement age be the same across the EU?  Angela Merkel’s criticisms as to retirement conditions and the duration of leaves in southern Europe are still making ripples.  It was during a...
Netherlands: high damages for an employee affected by asbestos-related disease
A 60-year-old Dutch employee received, on May 18th, €50,000 in damages because he contracted asbestosis, a lung diseased caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers.  He contracted this pathology...
EU: priorities of the European Trade Union Confederation for the four years to come
Rejecting austerity and pushing to a change in economic governance.  Mirroring the Congress’ leitmotiv and the action plan approved by the 1,000 representatives present, the Athens Manifesto...
Germany: ArcelorMittal Eisenhüttenstadt provides “children’s hotel” open 24/7 to its employees
Declining birth rates.  According to Jürgen Peschel, in charge of training apprentices within the company’s professional school on the one hand, and of work-life balance on the other...
19 May 2011
Belgium: textile negotiations about to end
Index.  The key bone of contention was the index, pillar of the Belgian social system.  Fedustria, the sector’s employers’ organization, wanted to turn wage indexation into an increase for meal...
EU: interview of Bernadette Ségol, new general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation
Bernadette Ségol.  The key axis that came out of this Congress is about the actions and program we need to have regarding the austerity measures and economic governance project being developed by...
Sweden: manufacturing unions adopt new model agreement
Key regulations of the new agreement.  The new agreement develops two aspects: 
Germany: GDL train drivers’ union signs company agreement with SBB Cargo Deutschland rail company
A company agreement more advantageous than the federal framework agreement.  According to the GDL, SBB Cargo Deutschland opened the debate by saying that the company agreement had to be based on...
EU: new team at the head of the European Trade Union Confederation
General secretary and deputy general secretaries.  Bernadette Ségol has been a part of European and international trade unionism since 1975, at first at the International Textile Federation...
Denmark: historical agreement on the pension reform
After long and tough negotiations, with the Danish People’s Party securing increased border controls, the government managed, on may 13th, to conclude an agreement reforming the pension system...
Belgium: report on negotiations in the metal industry
Metal construction.  Metal construction (CP 111) is the biggest sector in the metal industry.  The equal committee (CP) notably includes aeronautics, metal construction or even the auto industry. ...
Great Britain: consultation on new shared parental leave and the extension of flexible working
Parental leave.  Amend rigid regulations to give more flexibility to employees who become parents: that is the government’s goal.  Here are the proposals: once the first weeks of maternity and...
Romania: European Commission demands changes to the new Labor Code
Fall at the latest.  Hardly enforced, the new Romanian Labor Code already needs to be changed.  Indeed, the European Commission, which carefully looked at the provisions contained in the new...
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1
United Kingdom: government launches consultation on AI and data protection rules
L’info. Le gouvernement britannique a lancé, du 15 juillet au 9 septembre 2026, une consultation afin d’identifier les dispositifs juridiques, techniques et de gouvernance...
28 August 2026
2
EU: social partners set out position on guidelines for the sustainability due diligence directive
The news. Following the final adoption of the omnibus directive in February, the European Commission launched a consultation in June aimed at guiding it in drafting guidelines on the application...
28 August 2026
3
Import bans on forced labor products are multiplying
Under pressure from new US tariffs, many countries have presented texts in recent weeks to ban the import of products made with forced labor. A real breakthrough for workers' rights or a mere...
9 September 2026
4
Germany: a “simplification” proposal for the Corporate Governance Code
In early August, the Government Commission presented proposals to reform the Deutscher Corporate Governance Kodex (DCGK), Germany’s Corporate Governance Code. The proposals are primarily aimed at...
31 August 2026
5
France: EDF served formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations
The news. On 23 September, Greenpeace France announced that it had served EDF with a formal notice for failure to comply with its sustainability due diligence obligations due to the risks of harm...
24 September 2026
6
Slovakia: a bill to “clarify” personal data protection measures
The news. The Slovak government approved a bill on personal data protection on August 26, 2026. This text aims to clarify existing regulations regarding employees’ rights and...
7 September 2026