EFES
call to the European Parliament, to the European Commission and to
all Governments of the European Union (2004)
In 1998, when the European Federation of Employee Share Ownership
was set up, it was said that some 10% of American employees held shares
of their enterprise; they are now 23,3%. Some weeks ago, the Australian
Government launched a programme to double employee share ownership
in Australia, from 5,5% of employees today to 11% in 2009.
Today, performances
studies have multiplied and we can now consider with no doubt that
when it is practiced in good conditions, employee ownership brings
to enterprises a gain of performances estimated at 2% of additional
annual growth on average.
On the European Union scale, this would represent millions of additional
jobs. In this way the development of employee ownership could be an
important factor for the Lisbon Strategy.
Today, we are far from a European awareness and a strong mobilisation.
Scepticism or indifference still dominate in many European countries.
The contrast is obvious in comparison with the United States, Australia
and other parts of the world. A political willingness of the European
Union has still to crystallize.
We recommend that Europe gives itself a voluntary objective of industrial
policy : reach 10 % of employee ownership in the whole European Union
in 2010. In this way, a whole combination of means have to be implemented
at the Union level, in the Member States and in the regions.
We particularly insist on the followings :
1. The implementation of a community organ (agency ? institute ? committee
?) for the promotion and the development of employee ownership. In
this way, we applaud the proposal of the European Commission Experts
Group, chaired by Jean-Baptiste de Foucauld, to install a European
Committee for Financial Participation of Workers.
2. An adapted legislation must be applied in each country of the European
Union. In this way too, we applaud the proposals of the Experts Group
of the Commission chaired by Jean-Baptiste de Foucauld.
3. Enterprise transfer and salvation of failing enterprises are situations
where employee ownership has proved its worth (the Spanish sociedades
laborales being a good example). Employee buyouts schemes should
get particular support. These formulas are not only to be supported
for themselves but also because they are favourable to the diffusion
and promotion of employee ownership, in all enterprises of the Union's
countries.