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Employee representation and information - Actions

European Works Council

Setting up a European negotiating body

Within the scope of current legislation, sanofi-aventis has created a European Works Council. The council is composed of representatives from all European Union countries as well as the European Economic Area. It provides for the conditions for employee representatives from all countries that have expressed their desire to join the European Union, including Turkey. Going beyond legal requirements, the European Works Council holds meetings twice a year, chaired by the Group's Chief Executive Officer, who is accompanied by his primary direct colleagues. Simultaneous interpretation of the discussion is provided in eight languages to enable mutual understanding. 
Sanofi-aventis has also set up a European working group in liaison with the European Works Council in order to propose a draft agreement to set up a European negotiating body.

Via this negotiating body, sanofi-aventis would like to negotiate the primary general principles that are applicable in Europe, and enable employee representation through in-house trade union representatives coming from the subsidiaries.