News

Italy: press review January 12th to 19th 2006
The renewal of the collective agreement for metalworkers dominated the social scene last week. After the blockade of the country, which led to the reopening of negotiations, the conflict ended...
Road transport: Commission reminds the deadline for installation of numerical tachographs
Jacques Barrot, vice-president of the European Commission, in charge of the transport policy, has written to Member States to explain and reaffirm the Commission’s standing on the introduction of...
Netherlands: senior employees will use their savings plan to retire earlier
The pensions reform that took effect on January 1st , 2006 aims to force employees aged 65 and under to work, by removing any possibility of anticipated retirement. But Dutch employees have found...
Poland : social contributions will be lowered for unemployed people who take a new job
The ministry of Employment and Social affairs has announced a plan to lower wage costs for the hiring of an unemployed person. (Ref 0646)
Poland: labour legislation will be amended
The Commission in charge of codifying the labour legislation is preparing a project aimed at reforming the labour code. In particular, it introduces changes in the calculation mode of paid-leaves...
Czech Republic : new sickness insurance system has been drafted
The sickness insurance system in the Czech Republic should be reformed within one year. The draft bill that was approved by the Lower Chamber of Czech Parliament should replace the current...
Spain: Commission decides to refer Spain to the Court of Justice over two tax provisions
The European Commission has decided to refer Spain to the Court of Justice over its taxation of non-residents' employment-related income and over its taxation of non-residents' capital gains...
Italy : metalworkers block the country
Metalworkers organized a blockade of the country’s air and rail traffic routes on Janurary 17th. The three trade unions had organized this day of industrial action. (Ref 0642).
Denmark: debate on open borders for skilled immigrants
While unemployment is falling (4,5 % last November according to Eurostat), conservatives and liberals, currently in power in Denmark, want to open borders to skilled immigrants, in order to face...
France : government introduces two flexible job contracts
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced earlier this week that he was to introduce a bill creating two new job contracts. The most significant, called “first job contract”, will be...
On March 10th, will there be a consensus on the Working time directive?
Austria, which is presiding the EU since January 1st, feels it is Vienna’s responsibility to end the negotiations on the draft Working Time Directive. Austria has indeed made a big move, by taking...
France: highest court’s judgment makes way for easier layoffs
French companies could soon be able to proceed to mass layoffs much more easily. A few days ago, the Cour de Cassation, which is the final Court of Appeal in France, decided that it was legal for...
Belgium : Wallony introduces language training vouchers
In order to develop multilingualism, Wallony has decided of a new measure aimed at stimulating the competitiveness of the region’s companies. (Ref 0637)
Belgium : it will be easier to hire some foreign workers
The government, willing to facilitate the hiring of research and “knowledge” workers, has decided to establish several administrative simplifications. However, the control of abuses will be...
Germany : press review – Saturday January 7th to Friday January 13th 2006 –
For the second consecutive week, the social news in German newspapers was dominated by a controversy over the terms of a measure (Kombilohn) meant to develop low-qualified jobs. (Ref 0634)
Great-Britain : CBI ends maternity leave support
The CBI has withdrawn its support for the government's plan to extend the paid maternity leave from six months to nine. It has made this move because the government withdrew its plan to allow...
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