Promotion of participation by employed persons in profits and enterprise results, PEPPER II

The member states have shown almost no enthusiasm for increasing the use of a variety of schemes for employees' participation in profits and enterprise results (PEPPER). Although practical experience is available from such countries as France and the UK, the member states have very rarely exchanged information on examples of good practice. This kind of criticism was presented by Marie-Thérèse HERMANGE (UFE, F) in her comments on the Commission report on the promotion of PEPPER schemes. Mrs. HERMANGE's report was unanimously adopted by the Committee. Therefore, the committee called for a programme to promote the exchange of information and best practices between the member states. In addition, they want a Commission to conduct a study of the impact of financial participation schemes on employment, productivity and wage flexibility as well as to assess the conditions for introducing such schemes in enterprises, in particular in SMEs. The Commission should also set up a working party of labour market organisations, the European Parliament and the Commission to promote the introduction of PEPPER schemes. The committee urged the member states to instruct national bodies to draw up schemes for promoting PEPPER. It stressed that the schemes should be planned, introduced and supervised in cooperation between enterprises and employee groups. Employees should also be safeguarded against the losses in value during the period in which they cannot freely dispose of their shares in the enterprise. �