The 2025 European Works Council Directive

Executive Summary and Comprehensive Field Guide for CHROs

A new European Works Council (EWC) Directive became law on December 31, 2025, and every existing EWC will need to change. For organizations with European operations—particularly U.S.-headquartered companies—this is not a theoretical issue. The question is not if your organization will be affected, but how prepared you are when employees initiate a review.
 
To help CHROs and international HR leaders understand what has changed and how to respond, the CHRO Association has published two resources: a concise executive summary and a comprehensive field guide.
 
Both are authored by Tom Hayes and Alan Wild, preeminent European experts with more than three decades of experience negotiating and advising on European Works Councils across hundreds of multinational employers.

How to Use These Resources

• Start with the Executive Summary to orient senior leadership and frame internal discussions.
   
• Use the Field Guide as a working reference for HR, legal, and labor teams responsible for implementation and ongoing EWC management.

Five minutes of attention now can help prevent months of complexity later!