EU: ECJ to determine whether French law excluding integration contracts from the calculation of the staffing limits for employee representation is in keeping with Community law

The French Supreme Court asked the ECJ about the compliance with Community law of information and consultation in the French Labor Code (Article L.  1111-3), which excluded from a company’s staffing numbers (and therefore has an impact on limits for the introduction of employee representative structures) apprentices and workers with an integration contract (employment support contract, employment-initiative contract or work-study contracts).  In the conclusions rendered on July 18, Advocate General Cruz Villalón suggests that the Court should declare that it is contrary to EU law.  This is in line with Community case law.  But, surprisingly, the conclusions suggest that the Court should declare that the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is directly opposable, under some conditions, in a national dispute between individuals or businesses.  If the ECJ did that, it would retrospectively cancel the efforts made by the governments that accepted to ratify this Charter – which has now become the header of the EU Treaty – to the “neutral” legal significance of this tool.  (Ref.  130493)
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

Within the framework of a procedure on the cancelation of a union-appointed representative, requested by an employer on the grounds that he was under this obligation to set up an employee representation structure (there were 8 permanent employees but about 100 with employment support contract), the regional court ruled that the French Labor Code Article in question was contrary to Community law and, more precisely, to Directive 2002/14 (which establishes a general framework for informing and co

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
Germany: government seeks to facilitate immigration of skilled Indian workers
During a visit to India earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addressed the strategic importance of attracting Indian workers to Germany, signing a series of cooperation agreements...
Italy: new generational renewal agreement penned at UniCredit
The agreement signed on 30 December by UniCredit, Italy’s second-largest banking group, with the Fabi, First-Cisl, Fisac-Cgil, Uilca and Unisin trade unions aims to continue generational...
TRENDS IN 2026 — Reducing workplace absence at all costs: a major challenge for Europe
Workplace absence is on the rise across Europe, particularly among women, older employees and, since the Covid-19 pandemic, young people under the age of 30. Faced with this growing problem, some...
14 January 2026
Italy: banking group Intesa Sanpaolo sharpens focus on quality of life at work
Over the Christmas period Intesa Sanpaolo, Italy's largest bank, penned with trade unions a deal to renew the first part of the company agreement, covering work-life balance, inclusion, parenthood...
14 January 2026
Most viewed articles of the month on mind HR
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
EU: Parliament formally adopts omnibus, diluting due diligence rules
On 16 December, the European Parliament formally approved the omnibus package amending the EU corporate sustainability reporting and due diligence directives. Their application has been pushed...
16 December 2025
2
United Kingdom: government urged to legislate against forced labour
After consulting victims, businesses and NGOs, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner (IASC) has published a report showing that the UK is lagging behind in the fight against forced labour. The...
13 January 2026