Sigurt Vitols, author at Social Europe

About Sigurt Vitols

Sigurt Vitols is a senior researcher at the Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung and an associate researcher at the European Trade Union Institute. His research focuses on corporate governance, worker participation, company law and sustainability. He was nominated by the ETUC as the (only) trade union representative on the EFRAG project task force on preparatory work on possible non-financial reporting standards.

A long-overdue step on EU sustainability reporting

by Sigurt Vitols on 21st April 2021

A draft directive on sustainability reporting begins to address the challenge of turning the corporate tanker towards a zero-emissions 2050.

Will workers’ rights lose out to ‘freedom of establishment?’

by Sigurt Vitols on 27th February 2019

Who stands for Europe: the council of member states or the parliament of the citizens? A little-noticed coming directive will once again test that issue—with workers’ rights at stake. Critics of the European Union have long maintained that the social dimension has too often received the ‘short end of the stick‘ when conflicts between protecting […]

EU Company Mobility Package: Implications For Social Europe

by Sigurt Vitols on 11th May 2018

Will the ‘freedom of establishment’ – one of the basic freedoms in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) – mean that companies can pick and choose the national regulatory regime most favourable to them? Or will it mean that companies will be constrained in their ability to avoid taxation and workers’ […]

Industrial relations: developments 2015-2019

Eurofound has monitored and analysed developments in industrial relations systems at EU level and in EU member states for over 40 years. This new flagship report provides an overview of developments in industrial relations and social dialogue in the years immediately prior to the Covid-19 outbreak. Findings are placed in the context of the key developments in EU policy affecting employment, working conditions and social policy, and linked to the work done by social partners—as well as public authorities—at European and national levels.

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Call to Europe: mind the social gaps!

European commissioner Elisa Ferreira, former high representative Federica Mogherini, ministers Arancha González (Spain) and Pierre Yves Dermagne (Belgium) are among the speakers at the 10th edition of Call to Europe.

‘Recovering Europe: Mind the Social Gaps’ is this year’s topic. Fighting inequalities and ensuring an inclusive and sustainable recovery is the most pressing issue in times of Covid19!

Engage in lively discussions with prominent progressive change-makers, experts, civil-society representatives and policy-makers. Join and enjoy a three-day, highly interactive virtual festival, which will also include cultural activities and online competitions.

Take part! Mind the social gaps!

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With a pandemic raging, for those countries most affected by Brexit the end of the transition could not come at a worse time. Yet, might the UK's withdrawal be a blessing in disguise? With its biggest veto player gone, might the European Pillar of Social Rights take centre stage? This book brings together leading experts in European politics and policy to examine social citizenship rights across the European continent in the wake of Brexit. Will member states see an enhanced social Europe or a race to the bottom?

'This book correctly emphasises the need to place the future of social rights in Europe front and centre in the post-Brexit debate, to move on from the economistic bias that has obscured our vision of a progressive social Europe.' Michael D Higgins, president of Ireland

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WSI minimum wage report 2021: is Europe en route to adequate minimum wages?

In late 2020, the European Commission took an important step towards securing adequate minimum wages for all workers in Europe with the publication of a draft directive aimed at reversing the growing polarisation of incomes and the growth of in-work poverty. Securing an income sufficient for a decent standard of living will require substantial increases in minimum wages in virtually all member states—a medium-term objective that, according to the commission's calculations, would deliver clear social benefits. More than 25 million workers in Europe would benefit directly were statutory minimum wages to rise to either 60% of the median wage or 50% of the average wage. In Germany alone, where 60% of the median wage would equate to a minimum wage of €12.00, some 6.8 million workers would see increases in their pay.

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