Vol. 495 No. 7
52 Ms O'Sullivan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on the concept of an EU company statute Statut de La Societe Euuropeenne; and the proposals, if any, the Government has made to ongoing EU discussions on this subject. [21147/98]
In general, I and my colleague, Deputy Tom Kitt, Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs, have continued the line adopted by our predecessors of being generally supportive of the Commission's proposals for the introduction of the European Company Statute. In this context, it has to be remembered that the EU proposal contains two separate but interrelated instruments, namely a regulation which contains the company law framework for the Statute Company and a directive dealing with the issue of employee involvement.
My perception is that while there has not been an overwhelming demand from Irish business for the introduction of the concept of a European Company Statute, no doubt if it were to become available, it is something that would be seriously looked at by business to see whether it would better help them conduct their business in the European Union.
Ireland has played its full part in the negotiations on the proposal; the main difficulty is the Draft Directive on Employee Involvement. The Austrian Presidency is seeking political agreement in the Social and Labour Council on 2 December next on three main policy issues: agreement to worker participation by the management of the companies forming an SE; protection for minority participation rights; and protection of participation rights where a European company is formed by conversion of a nationally registered plc.
Ireland is playing a pro-active role in the search for a compromise. All member states are negotiating on the basis that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.
