European Works Councils case studies: Auchan

In September 1994, the Council of Ministers decided on a Directive on the establishment of a European Works Council (EWC) for the purposes of informing and consulting employees (94/45/EC). The emergence of EWCs is a major part of the development of an industrial relations system at European level. The agreement establishing the Auchan EWC was signed on 17 May 1996 by three French majority unions (CFTC, CFE-CGC and CGT-FO) and by the managing director of Hypermarchés Auchan France and the CEO of SAMADOC, and by its HRD.