Brussels, 23 September 2021

• ETUC Member Organisations
• ETUC Workers' Participation & Company Policy Committee
• ETUF EWC Co-ordinators

Dear Colleagues

Further to our invitation below, we are pleased to let you know that this year's EWC Conference "European Works Councils for Democracy at Work" has already attracted many participants and we have received more requests for physical participation than we were able to accept because Covid rules mean that we can only accept a limited number in our auditorium. Those who have already registered will have received confirmation of their participation, whether physical or virtual.

We have re-opened registrations so you can still register to attend virtually. (There is no need to register again as a virtual participant if you have already registered).

The Conference will start at 12.30 on 11 October (physical participants are asked to come a little earlier for registration) and finish at 12.30 on 12 October. Please see the draft programme attached.

The Conference languages are English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Polish.

Don’t hesitate to contact me or my colleagues Stefan Gran ([email protected]) and Niklas Franke ([email protected]) for further information. For any organisational/administrative question, please contact Esyllt Meurig ([email protected]).

We look forward to seeing you next month.

Kind regards

Isabelle Schömann

Confederal Secretary

Brussels, 26 July 2021

• ETUC Member Organisations
• ETUC Workers' Participation & Company Policy Committee
• ETUF EWC Co-ordinators

Dear Colleagues

I am pleased to invite you to the ETUC’s annual conference on European Works Councils, to be held on 11 & 12 October 2021 in the framework of a project co-financed by the European Commission.

Please register here for the event by 26 August.

This year’s Conference will concentrate on Democracy at work in the EU’s future. In the light of the Conference on the Future of Europe, we are looking forward to discussing ways to secure workers’ information, consultation and participation rights and strengthen the democratic pillar of our continent through Democracy at Work. This is of special importance since the EU is at a crossroads facing the recovery from the economic consequences of the pandemic, a transition to digitalisation and a transition to a green economy. The democratic aspects of the recovery and the transitions are key in ensuring that these happen in a sustainable manner. But it also entails democratic structures in the economic governance, especially in supply and subcontracting chains, where workers’ rights often get lost and where we lack  liability measures. The question of how EWCs will be included to shape fair supply and subcontracting chains through Human Rights Due Diligence schemes is key for us.

On the first day of the Conference we will exchange with high-level political decision-makers from the European institutions and leaders from the trade union movement how to bring forward our strategy for More Democracy at Work and stronger EWCs. During the second day, we will focus on more practical issues with the aim to strengthen EWCs from inside. The panels will look into EWCs’ role in shaping the recovery period and the digital & green twin transition.

This year’s conference will take place in a hybrid from. The auditorium will be transformed into a TV studio and with a bit of luck we will even be able to welcome a limited number of participants physically. At the same time, we offer everyone the possibility to join this conference remotely, given the volatility of sanitary measures and potential traveling restrictions.

Please indicate on the registration form whether you would like to join the conference remotely or in person. Please note that we can only confirm the format of the conference by the end of September and we would ask you to not book any flights or hotel reservations until you receive a written confirmation from us that you can attend the conference physically.

Don’t hesitate to contact me or my colleagues Stefan Gran ([email protected]) and Niklas Franke ([email protected]) for further information. For any organisational/administrative question, please contact Esyllt Meurig ([email protected]).

We look forward to seeing you at our 2021 EWC Conference.

Yours sincerely

Isabelle Schömann

Confederal Secretary