News

EU: the downward trend of unemployment continues
Unemployment drops in the European Union. According to Eurostat figures, unemployment decreased in June, to 7,8% in the euro zone and 8,1% in EU 25. (Ref. 06783)
Ireland: transposition of the “asbestos” directive
Mr. Tony Killeen, Minister for Labour Affairs, signed on 25 July 2006 the Safety, Health and Well-being at work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations 2006 which transpose in Irish legislation the...
EU: publication in the OJEU of the regulations on structural funds
The regulations fixing the missions of the structural funds (ERDF and ESF) for the period 2007-2013 and those of the cohesion funds were published in the OJEU, as well as another regulation which...
Poland: working time regulations may be revised
After a major amendment of the Labour Code in 2004 concerning mainly working time regulations, other changes are being prepared by the Polish Parliament.
Netherlands: strike at Unilever’s finance department
Thirty employees of Finance Focus, the finance department of the industrial group Unilever, went on strike on July 20, in Vlaardingen. On July 26, they gave a petition to Cees van der Waaij, the...
BNP Paribas: employees own 5% of the bank’s capital
55.800 employees of BNP Paribas in 71 countries subscribed to the increase in capital which was reserved for them, for a total amount of 282,5 million euros. Following this operation, employees...
31 July 2006
EU: the European Commission wants to extend the field of application of the anti-discrimination legislation
At the international conference on the rights of the LGBT which took place in Montreal (Canada), on July 29, Vladimir Spidla, the European Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal...
Netherlands: SME sceptical towards vocational training
According to a survey published on July 27 by the Dutch research department Research in businesses and strategy (EIM), based in Zoetermeer, SME do not believe in possible incentives to investments...
ING: Dutch trade unions reject the redundancy plan
Trade unions rejected the redundancy plan which was presented to them by ING management. Nearly 71% of the members of the Federation of Dutch trade unions (FNV) voted against the plan negotiated...
31 July 2006
Lithuania: coping with social problems after Ekranas bankruptcy
After one of the biggest Lithuanian employers, the cathode ray tube (CRT) producer Ekranas, went bankrupt earlier this year, national and regional governments are preparing to undertake some...
Germany: health insurance offices are opposed to the health care reform
German health insurance offices want to launch a campaign against the government's health care reform. According to them, the bill presented at the beginning of July will involve an increase in...
Latvia: Parliament rejects an amendment prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation
This negative vote of Latvian members of Parliament triggered many criticisms, especially from the European Commission. The President of the Latvian Republic decided not to promulgate the text and...
Germany: a project to support the employment of people over 50 years old
The Ministry of Labour presented a project aimed at facilitating the employment of people over 50 years old. Called "Initiative 50 plus", this program is designed to increase the employment rate...
Italy opens its labour market to workers from new Member States
Italy announced the lifting of restrictions on freedom of movement of workers. The new Italian government has thus cancelled, on July 21, the Berlusconi government's decision to partially open...
Spain: more and more companies encourage “corporative voluntary help”
This is a fast-rising concept : "voluntariado corporativo", within the framework of corporate social responsibility. It consists in encouraging employees to take part in social projects. In some...
Poland : no extra work to compensate for Christmas
The government has proposed a bill which will end workers' obligation to compensate for some holidays off. Trade unions want the process of labor law reform to continue. (Réf. 06765)
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: Commission launches consultation with social partners on quality jobs
On 4 December, the European Commission launched the first phase of consultation with social partners with a view to a European directive on jobs, which is scheduled for the end of 2026. It could...
4 December 2025
2
EDF bans alcohol on all its sites
From 1 January 2026, French energy giant EDF (180,000 employees) will prohibit alcohol consumption at all internal and external corporate events, from social gatherings to seminars. The policy...
26 November 2025
3
United Kingdom: government scraps plan to introduce ‘day one’ protection against unfair dismissal
The UK government announced on 27 November, in a statement, that it would not be introducing the right to challenge unfair dismissal (without cause) from the first day of employment in its...
3 December 2025
4
Poland: bill adopted to amend definition of psychological harassment
On 27 November, the Polish cabinet adopted a draft amendment to the labour code aimed at simplifying the definition of psychological harassment at work, or “mobbing” (Article 94 3)...
4 December 2025
5
EU: MEPs demand directive on algorithmic management
Members of the European Parliament have called for a directive on algorithmic management. Such legislation would introduce obligations for companies to inform employees, assess health and safety...
17 December 2025
6
Austria: European rules on wage transparency expected to cause a cultural shock
With the gender pay gap in Austria being the second largest in the European Union (18.3%), the Austrian government has promised to introduce a bill next spring to transpose the European directive...
27 November 2025