On 21 December, the EU Commission presented a Directive proposal that would modernize Directive 91/533 requiring employers to provide employees with written communication on essential elements of employment contracts (the so-called Written Statement Directive). The scope of the text will be extended to cover more workers than is currently the case (2-3 million according to the EU Commission’s estimates) as it will include additional workers on atypical contracts. In addition it also establishes new rights by improving working conditions predictability (working time, remuneration, banning exclusive arrangements etc.) and it especially strengthens the legal arsenal to combat any violations of these provisions (banning employment dismissals, burden of proof).
“I am convinced that the proposal is a balanced one. Clearly employers will believe it goes too far while worker representatives believe it doesn’t go far enough. So in some way we are right in the middle,” declared Commissioner Marianne Thyssen to the Belgian press ahead of expected social partners reaction. The social partners in fact declined the EU Commission’s invitation to negotiate because of striking divergent viewpoints (c.f. article No. 10436).
Definition of worker. In concrete terms t
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