Project Management and tarining center (PVMC) with partners the State Labour Inspectorate (VDI), European University Viadrina (Germany), Latvian Trade Union of Public Service and Transport Workers (LAKRS) (Latvia), Vilnius Industrial and business Association (VPVA), Estonian Transport and Road Workers Trade Union (ETTA) (Estonia), co-operation "T & M Solutions" (TMS) are jointly implementing the project „Establishment of a Transnational Experts Network of information, consultation and expertise in the field of Employee Involvement/Financial Employee Participation in undertakings (TEN)“) No. VS/2016/0279
Project is funded by the European Commission, Project Management and tarining center (PVMC) and partners.
The financial participation of employees (FPE) in companies systems is a mature form of employees participation. The number of companies offering the FPE schemes to their employees is slow, but has increased in recent years in most EU countries.
According to recent international studies, the FPE has continued to succeed in Europe, despite the 2008-2009 year financial crisis. The European Economic and Social Committee has highlighted FPE potential for taking over business in its 2010 opinion-initiative (SOC 371) with reference to previous European Parliament actions. In its opinion, which is closely linked to the Europe 2020 strategy, the EESC has noted that the introduction of the FPE can help European business, in particular SME, to improve their competitiveness by increasing workers loyalties and identification with their company in good and bad times. And finally, the European Parliament emphasised the importance of promoting the FPE at EU level in the context of all the issues discussed in the project.
The European Commission’s study on “Promoting the responsibility and participation of employees” (DG MARKT) indicated the relevant facts regarding the FPE Baltic region: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia:
- FPE favorable climate - The national trade unions are interested, but there is lack of activeness;
- National employers associations support individual companies, but there is lack of information;
- Important: FPE is part of the 2016 government agenda in Lithuania and Estonia, but are ignored by the Latvian government.
There are many companies in the Baltic region who may be ready to initiate the FPE schemes, but they dont have sufficient enough knowledge about the FPE and its impact. In this context that it is possible to identify the factors which affect the admission of employees financial participation schemes, it is possible to adapt this to companies that currently do not offer any schemes.
Therefore the initiative to establish a transnational network of employees involvement and FPE experts will take over Germany's experience and will offer governments effective implementation of the FPE in the Baltic states. National experts (at least 12 persons) will be trained based on the experiences from Germany and Europe in the proper and effective implementation of the FPE systems in the Baltic states. The project will establish a partnership to identify best practice in improving policy formulation and implementation, and will monitor and report on the progress of Member States in the promotion of the FPE.
In this way, the project involves key EU and national stakeholders.
This initiative is a tool for the develope for the Baltic social partners and relevant stakeholders of an innovative international experts network for the staff participation and the FPE system, for the development of common international and national activities and Negotiate in the defence of all common interests and thus contribute directly to EU labour law and social policy.
One of the main aspects of the project is that most of the project's activities relate to the acquisition of experience from professional partners in Germany - the Viadrina University of Europe (EUV).
EUV teachers will train experts from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia and prepare them for work at national level in 3 Baltic states. They will be responsible for transfer of experience to the participating organizations of the Baltic States. After trainings, experts will transfer their knowledge to social partners organizations from 3 Baltic countries and 4 social partners members of the organizations members will be trained (a total of 600 people).
The generale project activities will include specialist trainings, round tables and international conferences. They will be very important because during these meetings the EUV partner will share his experience and unite all partners of the project for one purpose - to set up a network of professional international experts to promote the processes of employees participation in the Baltic States, in the legal system of the countries and the companies operating in those Member States.
Project contract No.VS/2016/0279 (Application No. VP/2015/003/0065) Project Duration: 1 January 2017 – 29 June 2018
This publication reflects the views only of the author and the European Commission is not responsible for the correctness of the provided information.
