Employee Involvement in European Companies (SE) and European Cooperative Societies (SCE)

A European Company (SE) is a new type of company established by Council Regulation, which allows a company registered in one EU country to operate in all EU countries. The time the type of company was established, personnel representation principles were also agreed upon.

Personnel representation is agreed on separately in a negotiation body. The provisions are very similar to those of the similar provisions of international group co-operation.

The main principle is that the personnel selects the administrative representation method of the company before it becomes a European Company (SE) from the existing administrative representation models. If the personnel does not make a selection, the company selects the model.

Administrative representation within a European Company (SE) replaces the international group co-operation, eliminating the need to also carry out the international group co-operation procedure. The aforementioned matters also pertain to European Cooperative Societies (SCE).

The co-operation ombudsman must report the matter to police for investigation if it is apparent that provisions subject to penalties have been violated. If the violation is minor, it is not required to report the matter to police.

The co-operation ombudsman may demand the court to set a sanction, if it is apparent that the company or employer has not performed as required by law.

The co-operation ombudsman may also submit a legally punishable offence to police for investigation.

Further information: cooperation ombudsman, see in Finnish yhteistoiminta-asiamies