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Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände e.V.

BDA

BDA represents German employers across all sectors on labor market and social policy, including 1 million companies employing 30.5 million workers.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Niclas Herbst (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

27 Jan 2026 · Sozialpartner in Deutschland und EU

Meeting with Anna Banczyk (Head of Unit Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer and Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks e.V.

14 Jan 2026 · The meeting aimed at discussing various aspects of the VET strategy, based on the joint position paper on VET prepared by above mentioned German employers’ organisations.

Meeting with Tilman Lueder (Head of Unit Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union)

4 Dec 2025 · PEPP

Meeting with Karen Vandekerckhove (Head of Unit Justice and Consumers) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

3 Dec 2025 · Exchange on the implementation of Directive (EU) 2023/970

German Employers Urge Priority for Individual Learning Mobility in Erasmus+

21 Nov 2025
Topic — EU's next budget proposal for Erasmus+ education and mobility programs 2028-2034.
Message — The organization requests binding minimum budgets for vocational training mobility, priority for nationally managed projects, and targeted support for SMEs to organize international placements. They emphasize that individual learning mobility must remain the strategic core objective.12345
Why — This would secure funding for workplace mobility programs that strengthen their workforce skills.67
Impact — EU skills initiatives lose funding as budget prioritizes company-led mobility programs.8
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Meeting with Brigitte Van Den Berg (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Nov 2025 · skills and Erasmus+

Meeting with Markus Ferber (Member of the European Parliament) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer

13 Nov 2025 · Competitiveness

Meeting with Hubert Gambs (Deputy Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer

13 Nov 2025 · Discussion on European affairs, in particular on SME policies, simplification and burden reduction and global trade.

Meeting with Gabriela Tschirkova (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)

4 Nov 2025 · Simplification

Meeting with Max Uebe (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

30 Oct 2025 · Exchange on the Work Programme of the Commission

Meeting with Christine Singer (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Oct 2025 · Ethanol

Meeting with Irena Moozova (Deputy Director-General Justice and Consumers) and

24 Oct 2025 · Pay Transparency Directive

Meeting with Svenja Hahn (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Oct 2025 · Ongoing and upcoming EMPL related legislation

Response to Digital package – digital omnibus

14 Oct 2025

Bitte finden Sie nachstehend das Feedback der Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA). Aus unserer Sicht sind vor allem die folgenden drei Anpassungen der KI-Verordnung notwendig, um eine bessere Anwendung der Vorschriften für Unternehmen zu gewährleisten: 1. Artikel 4 zur KI-Kompetenz sollte wie folgt formuliert werden, um mehr Rechtssicherheit für Unternehmen zu schaffen: Die Anbieter und Betreiber von KI-Systemen +++sollten Maßnahmen ergreifen+++, um nach besten Kräften sicherzustellen, dass ihr Personal und andere Personen, die in ihrem Auftrag mit dem Betrieb und der Nutzung von KI-Systemen befasst sind, über ein ausreichendes Maß an KI-Kompetenz verfügen, wobei ihre technischen Kenntnisse, ihre Erfahrung, ihre Ausbildung und Schulung und der Kontext, in dem die KI-Systeme eingesetzt werden sollen, sowie die Personen oder Personengruppen, bei denen die KI-Systeme eingesetzt werden sollen, zu berücksichtigen sind. Diese Anpassung würde den empfehlenden Charakter des Artikels 4 verdeutlichen, welcher nicht sanktionsbewehrt ist. Zudem würde diese Änderung mehr Rechtssicherheit für Unternehmen bei der Anwendung der KI-Verordnung schaffen. 2. Artikel 26 Absatz 7 sollte gestrichen werden, da er redundant ist. Er bezieht sich auf das Informieren von Beschäftigten sowie ihrer Vertreterinnen und Vertreter. Dies ist jedoch bereits durch die Richtlinie 2022/14/EG (Unterrichtung und Anhörung der Arbeitnehmer) geregelt und zwingt Arbeitgeberinnen und Arbeitgeber auf Grundlage zweier verschiedener EU-Gesetze zu informieren. Absatz 7 hätte zudem auf Artikel 153 AEUV als Rechtsgrundlage basieren müssen. Die Streichung von Artikel 26 Absatz 7 würde Klarheit für Unternehmen und verbesserte Kohärenz in der EU-Gesetzgebung schaffen. 3. Artikel 40 Absatz 1 der KI-Verordnung sollte gestrichen werden, da er den Boden für die Einführung neuartiger Regelungen des betrieblichen Arbeitsschutzes bereitet, die mit dem deutschen Arbeitsschutzsystem nicht vereinbar sind. Die dort vorgesehene Vermutungswirkung bei der Konformität führt zu einer Beweislastumkehr im Streitfall und könnte auch für Arbeitsschutzaspekte gelten, insbesondere dort, wo es um die Interaktion Mensch-Maschine geht. Dies wäre ein Novum, da in Deutschland diese Rechtsfolge seit langem von Gesetzes wegen durch die Anwendung technischer Regeln, die im staatlichen Auftrag entwickelt und geprüft werden, herbeigeführt wird. Eine europäische Normung mit Vermutungswirkung würde ein paralleles System schaffen und zu rechtlichen Unsicherheiten führen. Daher darf es keine harmonisierte Normung zu KI-Arbeitsschutz geben, insbesondere nicht im Bereich Hochrisiko-KI. Die Streichung von Artikel 40 Absatz 1 würde sicherstellen, dass die Mitgliedstaaten ihre bestehenden Arbeitsschutzsysteme weiterhin eigenständig regeln können. Die BDA organisiert als Spitzenverband die sozial- und wirtschaftspolitischen Interessen der gesamten deutschen Wirtschaft. Wir bündeln die Interessen von einer Million Betrieben mit rund 30,5 Millionen Beschäftigten. Diese Betriebe sind der BDA durch freiwillige Mitgliedschaft in Arbeitgeberverbänden verbunden.
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Meeting with Maxi Espeter (Cabinet of Commissioner Christophe Hansen) and Deutscher Bauernverband and Familienbetriebe Land und Forst e.V.

14 Oct 2025 · Mutual introduction and exchange on CAP proposal

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Oct 2025 · EU Employment Policy

Meeting with Michael Hager (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)

1 Oct 2025 · Simplification

Meeting with René Repasi (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

29 Sept 2025 · 28th Regime

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Sept 2025 · EU Employment Policy

German Employers Oppose Further Tightening of Whistleblower Directive

18 Sept 2025
Topic — Evaluation of the EU Whistleblower Protection Directive and potential amendments.
Message — The organization opposes any further strengthening of the Whistleblower Directive. They argue Germany has already implemented the directive comprehensively and beyond EU requirements through the Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz. They consider the directive unnecessary as German law already provides extensive whistleblower protection.123
Why — This would preserve their voluntary compliance systems and avoid additional regulatory burdens.45
Impact — Workers in other EU countries lose stronger protections that could address gaps in national laws.6
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German employers urge safeguards to prevent compliance burden on mid-caps

1 Aug 2025
Topic — EU proposal extending SME regulatory relief measures to small mid-cap enterprises.
Message — The organization supports extending SME relief to small mid-caps but demands explicit legal safeguards preventing indirect compliance burdens through supply chains. They want presumption of compliance for intra-EU operations and due diligence limited to direct partners only.123
Why — This would protect mid-sized companies from being forced into costly compliance work by larger supply chain partners.45
Impact — Downstream transparency may suffer if mid-caps provide less ESG and due diligence data to larger partners.67
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Response to Gender Equality Strategy 2026-2030

1 Aug 2025

BDA recommends that the upcoming strategy prioritise several areas, most of which fall within the responsibility of Member States. First, inclusive education and career guidance must be strengthened. This includes gender-sensitive orientation from early education onward, encouraging girls and women to pursue careers in STEM and leadership roles, and involving parents and educators in dismantling stereotypes. Second, work-life balance should be supported through structural reforms. These include expanding high-quality childcare and all-day school programs, promoting flexible and demand-oriented working time models, and enabling part-time leadership and job-sharing arrangements. Third, national disincentives to employment must be removed. In Germany, this means replacing tax class III/V with IV/IV with factor as the default, phasing out contribution-free co-insurance for spouses in statutory health and long-term care insurance, and reforming survivors pensions to avoid disincentives for employment. The autonomy of collective bargaining systems must be protected, as they ensure gender-neutral pay structures based on objective criteria. Employers also play a key role in promoting family-friendly HR policies. This includes supporting employees with caregiving responsibilities, facilitating re-entry after career breaks, and enabling mobile work arrangements. More flexible rest period regulations, negotiated through social partner agreements, would also help. A broader societal and corporate cultural shift is essential. Overcoming stereotypes requires visible role models at all levels. Companies can contribute through HR management by normalising women in leadership and men taking parental leave. Strength-oriented career and study guidance should be promoted, especially in STEM fields, and supported by mentoring and targeted development programs. However, BDA firmly rejects statutory quotas, as they do not address the root causes of inequality. The strategy should also ensure coherence with existing national frameworks. Instruments such as Germanys Maternity Protection Act and risk assessments in occupational health and safety already provide targeted protection. Additional EU-level measures should avoid duplication or conflict with these activity-based approaches. Employment incentives must be maintained and expanded. Parental leave benefits should continue to encourage a prompt return to work and a balanced distribution of leave between parents. Basic income support should not create disincentives to employment, especially for parents. Tax policy can also support labour market participation. Full deductibility of childcare costs and stronger promotion of household-related services are vital. Tax-free employer subsidies for short-term care responsibilities can further ease the burden on working families. The roadmap for womens rights, structured around eight principles, warrants a careful evaluation. Both its formulation and the procedural approach bear strong resemblance to the European Pillar of Social Rightsan initiative that, despite its non-binding character, has in practice often served as a gateway for far-reaching legislation in areas where EU competences are limited. A repetition of this dynamic should be avoided. BDA is the umbrella organisation representing the social and economic policy interests of the German business sector encompassing one million companies with around 30.5 million employees. Employers are committed to fostering inclusive workplaces and promoting equal opportunities for all. BDA supports a Gender Equality Strategy that is pragmatic, evidence-based, and respectful of national labour market models. The strategy should focus on removing structural barriers, enabling choice, and supporting social partners in their efforts to promote equality. Please find attached BusinessEuropes position paper Priorities for Strengthening Gender Equality in Europe to complement the views expressed.
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Response to Quality Jobs Roadmap

28 Jul 2025

Please find below the feedback from BDA, the Confederation of German Employers Associations: A competitive and resilient economy is the precondition for creating quality jobs. Employers play a key role in providing competitive jobs. This perspective is missing so far in the Commissions assessment only if businesses strive, quality jobs can be provided. New legislative proposals must focus on reducing bureaucracy, simplifying existing regulation, and promoting innovation and productivity. They must not hinder European companies competitiveness. All jobs that comply with current EU legislation and, if applicable, collective agreements should be considered quality jobs. Consequently, quality jobs exist in all sectors and professions. Rigid definitions or a hierarchy of jobs, for example, through categories such as green jobs, fail to recognize the current labour and skills shortages. Social dialogue is essential, but collective bargaining must remain voluntary. Social and labour market policymaking is following the provisions of the Treaties the responsibility of the Member States. The focus of the Commission should be on creating an environment in which social partners can develop and maintain quality jobs. Achieving higher productivity growth, activating policies and addressing labour and skills shortages need to become central to the discussion. Please also take note of the current BusinessEurope paper attached to this feedback. BDA is the central business association organising the social and economic policy interests of the entire German economy. We pool the interests of one million businesses with around 30,5 million employees. These businesses are associated with BDA through voluntary membership of employer associations.
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Response to Supplementary pensions – review of the regulatory framework and other measures to strengthen the sector

21 Jul 2025

Auto-enrolment Vorgaben zu einer automatischen Mitgliedschaft in der betrieblichen Altersvorsorge stoßen bei uns auf entschiedenen Widerstand. In Deutschland ist betriebliche Altersversorgung eine freiwillige Leistung, die häufig von Arbeitgebern in enger Abstimmung mit Gewerkschaften angeboten und in Tarifverträge eingebettet wird. Dieses System ist nicht nur gut etabliert, sondern hat sich auch in der Praxis bewährt. Selbst unverbindliche EU-Empfehlungen können das Gleichgewicht nationaler Altersversorgungssystem stören, indem sie indirekt neue Verpflichtungen für Arbeitgeber schaffen insbesondere in Ländern, in denen die betriebliche Altersvorsorge bereits gut etabliert ist. Das Subsidiaritätsprinzip muss bei allen EU-Maßnahmen in diesem Bereich maßgeblich sein. Es basiert auf dem Prinzip der Verantwortung der Sozialpartner ein Ansatz, den die Kommission wiederholt anerkannt hat, zuletzt im Pakt für den sozialen Dialog. Versuche, in diesem Bereich eine Top-down-Steuerung durch die Europäische Union einzuführen selbst in Form von Empfehlungen bergen das Risiko, das bewährte Gleichgewicht von Rollen und Verantwortlichkeiten durcheinanderzuwerfen, das diese nationalen Systeme effektiv und vertrauenswürdig macht. Automatische Einbeziehung bringt neue Verpflichtungen und Prozesse für Arbeitgeber mit sich, die besonders problematisch sind, wenn der Mehrwert unklar ist. Die Freiwilligkeit des Arbeitgeberengagements in der betrieblichen Altersversorgung ist eine Stärke, keine Schwäche. Trackingsysteme Digitale Rentenübersichten und Dashboards können zu mehr Transparenz in den Rentensystemen beitragen. Solche Instrumente müssen jedoch auf bestehenden nationalen Lösungen aufbauen. In Deutschland existiert bereits eine voll funktionsfähige digitale Rentenübersicht. Die Schaffung paralleler EU-Systeme würde zu Doppelstrukturen und unnötigen Kosten führen. Wie bei der automatischen Einbeziehung sollte auch hier das Subsidiaritätsprinzip alle EU-Maßnahmen leiten. Die europäische Koordinierung sollte sich darauf konzentrieren, die Mitgliedstaaten bei der Stärkung ihrer eigenen Rentenmodelle zu unterstützen nicht darauf, neue Verpflichtungsebenen zu schaffen oder Verwaltungsaufgaben auf Arbeitgeber zu verlagern. EbAV-II-Richtlinie Wichtig ist, dass die Richtlinie ihren Charakter als Minimalharmonisierungsrichtlinie behält. Eine Vollharmonisierung, etwa durch übernommene Solvency-II-Regeln oder verbindliche Delegated Acts und Opinions, was die nationale Ausgestaltung und Integration der bAV in nationale Arbeits und Sozialgesetze untergräbt, muss vermieden werden. Die Einführung von Solvency II ähnlichen Eigenmittelanforderungen für EbAV würde den Kern der bisherigen EbAV-II-Richtlinie unterminieren und muss unterbleiben Die Aufsicht über EbAV darf nicht auf EU Ebene zentralisiert werden. Die Hauptargumente liegen auf der Hand: die Heterogenität der nationalen bAV Systeme, notwendige Expertise über nationales Arbeits und Sozialrecht, drohender hoher administrativer Aufwand und Kostenanstieg, der langfristig Pensionsleistungen reduzieren könnte. Wichtig ist eine behutsame Überarbeitung der EbAV-II-Richtlinie, dabei sind die nationalen Besonderheiten der Grundsatz der Proportionalität zu berücksichtigen, um unnötige Bürokratie und steigende Kosten zu erzeugen. Grundsatz der unternehmerischen Vorsicht Eine künftige Regulierung sollte ausgewogen, praxisnah und zukunftssicher ausgestaltet sein. Die Balance zwischen Risikomanagement und Renditechancen sollte dabei im Mittelpunkt stehen besonders beim Grundsatz der unternehmerischen Vorsicht und Investitionen in Eigenkapital und alternative Anlageklassen. Eine Überregulierung nach Solvency-II-Vorbild muss unbedingt vermieden werden, da risikoreichere Anlagen wie Private Equity oder Infrastruktur faktisch unattraktiv wären. Höhere Eigenmittelanforderungen könnten kleinere oder mittelgroße Einrichtungen aus dem Markt drängen.
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Meeting with Svenja Hahn (Member of the European Parliament) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and

14 Jul 2025 · Treffen der Spitzenverbände der deutschen Wirtschaft

Meeting with Ralph Schmitt-Nilson (Head of Unit Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

26 Jun 2025 · Single Market Strategy

Meeting with Angelika Niebler (Member of the European Parliament)

28 May 2025 · Omnibus, Kennlerngespräch

Meeting with Triinu Volmer (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

30 Apr 2025 · Meeting on proposals on further omnibus packages

Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Mar 2025 · EU Employment Policy

Meeting with Andreas Schwab (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Mar 2025 · e-Declaration for the posting of workers

German employers urge simplification of EU public procurement rules

5 Mar 2025
Topic — Evaluation of EU directives governing public procurement and concession contract awards.
Message — The BDA demands a focus on simplification and strongly opposes mandatory social criteria in procurement laws. They argue that these regulations should remain procedural and not be used to pursue disconnected social policy objectives.12
Why — Limiting new requirements would reduce administrative burdens and provide legal certainty for companies.34
Impact — Trade unions and social advocates lose a mechanism for mandating EU-wide employment standards.56
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Meeting with Michael Hager (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)

5 Mar 2025 · Competitiveness of the European industry

Meeting with Alina-Stefania Ujupan (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu), Annukka Ojala (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu), Max Uebe (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

6 Feb 2025 · Exchange on social dialogue and priorities

Meeting with Valentina Schaumburger (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné)

6 Feb 2025 · Introduction, simplification, competitiveness

German employers urge EU to slash cross-border labor bureaucracy

22 Jan 2025
Topic — EU consultation on removing regulatory barriers to services and labor mobility.
Message — The BDA requests exemptions from social security paperwork for short business trips and a unified digital notification system for posted workers. They also call for a central European helpdesk to provide employers with practical guidance on hiring mobile workers.123
Why — German companies would see a significant reduction in administrative costs and time-consuming paperwork.45
Impact — Labor enforcement agencies may face higher risks of rule violations in high-risk sectors.6
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Meeting with Andrea Wechsler (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Nov 2024 · EU Social and Employment Policy

Meeting with Ursula von der Leyen (President)

30 Oct 2024 · Meeting with Chief Executive of BDA (Topic: Competitiveness and Single Market)

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Mar 2024 · Austausch zu Beschäftigungspolitischen Themen

Meeting with Anna Cavazzini (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair) and Apple Inc. and

23 Feb 2024 · Aktuelle Themen in der Europapolitik und Sachsen

Meeting with Abir Al-Sahlani (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Confederation of Swedish Enterprise

14 Feb 2024 · EU Talent Pool

Meeting with Marianne Vind (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Danish Trade Union Confederation EU Office

9 Feb 2024 · EU Talent Pool

German employers demand curbs on abusive employee data requests

8 Feb 2024
Topic — Evaluation of the General Data Protection Regulation's application six years after its entry.
Message — The BDA requests longer deadlines for data access and the right to reject requests used for non-data protection purposes. They also advocate for exempting small businesses from maintaining processing records.123
Why — This would reduce administrative burdens and limit the legal leverage employees hold during disputes.4
Impact — Employees would lose a tool used to strengthen their position during dismissals or severance negotiations.5
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Response to 2024 Evaluation of the European Labour Authority

4 Jan 2024

Die Europäische Arbeitsbehörde (ELA) hat ihren administrativen und personellen Aufbau abgeschlossen. Die nun anstehende Mandatsüberprüfung (gemäß Art. 40 der Verordnung (EU) 2019/1149; ELA-Verordnung) sollte dazu genutzt werden, die Kompetenzen der ELA nicht zu erweitern, sondern ihren Aufgabenfokus zu schärfen. Die Behörde muss sich als zentrale Anlaufstelle für Arbeitnehmer und Arbeitgeber im Dickicht des Informationsdschungels der EU-Arbeitsmobilität verstehen. Wo möglich, sollte sie selbst als Informationsplattform dienen, um durch komplexe Gesetzgebung zu navigieren. Soweit dies ihre Kapazitäten und Kompetenzen übersteigt, muss sie die Mitgliedstaaten koordinierend dabei unterstützen, notwendige Informationen verständlich und leicht zugänglich bereitzustellen. Bei der Bekämpfung von unangemeldeter Beschäftigung, insbesondere mit Blick auf Inspektionen, darf die ELA weiter bei Bedarf der Mitgliedstaaten eine koordinierende und unterstützende Rolle einnehmen. Eine Ausweitung der Zuständigkeiten der Behörde beschneidet hingegen die hoheitlichen Kompetenzen der Mitgliedstaaten. Insgesamt sollte sich die ELA zukünftig darauf konzentrieren, einen Mehrwert für alle Wirtschaftsbereiche bei der EU-Arbeitsmobilität zu schaffen und sich nicht nur auf einzelne Sektoren zu beschränken.
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Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and Deutsches Aktieninstitut

30 Nov 2023 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

German Employers Demand Major Cuts to EU Reporting Burdens

24 Nov 2023
Topic — European Commission initiative to reduce corporate reporting requirements by twenty-five percent.
Message — The BDA calls for a significant reduction in sustainability data points and a delay in reporting deadlines. They also advocate for a unified electronic system for posted workers and exemptions for business trips.1234
Why — Businesses would benefit from significantly lower administrative costs and increased legal certainty.56
Impact — Workers in medium-sized companies lose access to pay transparency data and discrimination protections.78
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Response to Adjusting size criteria for inflation in the Accounting Directive to define micro, small and medium-sized enterprises

6 Oct 2023

The Confederation of German Employers Associations (BDA) is the leading, cross-sectoral, social and labour policy organisation representing over 1 million companies with around 30,5 million employees, we do appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on this important economic subject. Since its inception in 2013, all the size criteria in the Accounting Directive to classify undertakings or groups have remained stagnant, failing to adapt to the changing economic environment. As a result, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been inadvertently burdened with numerous financial and sustainability reporting provisions designed for larger companies. This has imposed unnecessary administrative and compliance burdens on these companies, diverting their scarce resources from core business operations. By increasing the size thresholds, the EU legislator can rectify this misalignment and introduce a more balanced and pragmatic approach to regulation. It is important to note that this amendment does not imply a relaxation of transparency or accountability standards. Rather, it reflects a more proportionate and tailored approach to rules, ensuring that the regulatory framework is conducive to the diverse needs and capacities of companies operating within the EU. Considering the historical inflation data provided by the Commission, indicating a cumulative increase of 24.3% in the euro area and 27.2% for the EU27 from 1 January 2013 to 31 March 2023, it remains unclear why this evidence provides for a rationale to raise the limits only by approximately 25%. We propose reconsidering this approach and continuing to account for not only the historical inflation rates but also considering the upcoming years. Taking this into account, we would recommend raising the marginal amounts by higher ceilings at least by 40%. While the suggested increase in the monetary criteria is a step in the right direction, it is not proportional to inflation and, in our view, falls short of effectively limiting the growing number of companies subject to mandatory audits. In terms of the monetary measures, we urge a more robust adjustment by considering the past, present and future inflation rates, in particular, given the extraordinary economic trends at the moment challenging EU companies. It is worth noting that the Accounting Directive provides for adjusting the size thresholds every five years, without further consideration this instrument should be used automatically. According to the Commission this delegated regulation aims at reducing the scope of application of the sustainability reporting requirements under the Accounting Directive as amended by CSRD and under Article 8 of the Taxonomy Regulation. The most effective way to achieve this target would be to double the size criteria concerning the average number of employees instead of solely adjusting the monetary size criteria balance sheet total and net turnover. That means Article 3(4) of the Accounting Directive would then require large undertakings to exceed 500 employees and significantly relieve companies from the administrative burden related to CSRD and the Taxonomy Regulation. In conclusion, we advocate for reviewing all three size criteria of the Accounting Directive.
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Response to Communication on maximising the potential of talent mobility as part of the European Year of Skills

27 Sept 2023

To better attract talents from abroad and to make the migration into employment easier and faster, we also need to make the recognition of foreign qualifications less burdensome. - The recognition of foreign qualifications can be an important building block for professional development and gives professionals and employers transparency with regard to the comparability of qualifications. - We need to create transparency on the comparability of qualifications for regulated and non-regulated professions, consistently use the EQF as a transparency instrument and ensure uncomplicated mobility within the EU. - However, in many cases, the hurdles to formal recognition of foreign professional qualifications are very rigid and the procedures are too time-consuming: responsibilities are distributed among a large number of authorities, numerous documents have to be translated and submitted as originals and often lengthy adaptation qualifications have to be completed. - These complex recognition procedures are difficult for professionals to navigate without guidance and counselling. They represent a major obstacle to labour migration and need to be simplified at the national level. - For a simplified recognition process we need improved information and counselling services, digital and generally streamlined recognition procedures, and a pragmatic approach by the competent bodies. - Formal recognition of qualifications should not be mandatory, particularly in the case of unregulated occupations. It often makes more sense to carry out demand-oriented qualification measures in the company wherever possible and to organise them in a way that is close to the company and geared to its needs. - In addition to improved recognition procedures, we need a greater range of tailor-made qualification modules for regulated professions in the member states.
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Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

27 Sept 2023 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Response to Evaluation of the European instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE)

19 Jul 2023

The Confederation of German Employers Associations (BDA) is the leading social and labour policy organisation representing over 1 million companies with around 30,5 million employees, we do appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on this matter of great importance to us. We support the creation of short-time work schemes at a national level as they have, e.g. in Germany, a proven positive effect in mitigating labour market emergencies. It is crucial to acknowledge that the EU Temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) should be regarded primarily as an emergency instrument, designed to address unforeseen crises, as stipulated by Article 122 TFEU. It is essential that SURE remains true to its intended purpose and does not transform into a permanent mechanism. This ensures the preservation of the fundamental principles of subsidiarity and responsibility of Member States in managing their social protection systems. In line with the concerns raised by the European Court of Auditors, we too have reservations about the added value of SURE in complementing national measures. It is necessary to critically examine the effectiveness and actual impact of SURE, specifically in terms of providing valuable support that truly complements national efforts during emergencies. Therefore, we strongly support the need for a comprehensive evaluation of SUREs validity, which should assess whether SURE has, in fact, incentivised national measures that would have otherwise not been adopted by Member States, demonstrating tangible benefits in mitigating unemployment risks and ensuring the overall stability of national social security systems and unemployment schemes. In conclusion, we wish to emphasise the importance of upholding SUREs emergency nature and acknowledge the concerns raised by the European Court of Auditors regarding its benefits.
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Meeting with Sara Skyttedal (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Jul 2023 · European competitiveness

Meeting with Margaritis Schinas (Vice-President) and

18 Jul 2023 · Exchange views on how to improve skills in the EU and attract talents

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

11 Jul 2023 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

German Employers Demand Simpler EU Social Sustainability Reporting Standards

7 Jul 2023
Topic — New rules defining how companies must report on environmental and social sustainability.
Message — The BDA demands a reduction in complex data requirements for businesses. They want the removal of rules that conflict with national privacy laws.12
Why — This would lower compliance costs and prevent legal risks regarding sensitive employee data.345
Impact — Social groups lose oversight as reduced reporting limits transparency on human rights.6
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Meeting with Henrike Hahn (Member of the European Parliament) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer

28 Jun 2023 · Climate-neutral Europe and competitive SMEs

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

17 May 2023 · Entwicklungen zur 883

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament)

4 May 2023 · General development EMPL (meeting held by parliamentary assistant)

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

16 Mar 2023 · CMRD6

Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

1 Mar 2023 · BDA wants to present their views on 30 years EU Single Market, Forced Labour Ban Proposal and the future EU competitiveness.

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

22 Feb 2023 · social dialogue, European year of skills, regulatory breathing space for the EU, European Works Council initiative by the EP, EC Communication on the digitalisation of social security systems

Meeting with Florian Denis (Cabinet of Commissioner Mairead Mcguinness), Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of Commissioner Mairead Mcguinness) and

7 Feb 2023 · CSRD

Meeting with Birgit Sippel (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Feb 2023 · Legal Migration Package (Staff-Level)

Meeting with Carsten Schierenbeck (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

15 Dec 2022 · Better Regulation

German employers demand SME exemptions in forced labor ban

28 Nov 2022
Topic — An EU initiative to prohibit products made with forced labour from the market.
Message — The group wants small businesses exempted and the state to handle product removal. They also demand judicial review and clearer evidence standards for enforcement decisions.12
Why — These changes would reduce legal risks and compliance costs for German companies.3
Impact — National governments and taxpayers would face higher costs for enforcing product recalls.4
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Response to European Year of Skills 2023

28 Nov 2022

Please see document attached.
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Response to Improving the provision of digital skills in education and training

5 Sept 2022

Die Bereitstellung digitaler Bildungsangebote und die Förderung digitaler Kompetenzen sind über alle Bildungsbereiche hinweg von zentraler Bedeutung, um die Teilhabe in der Arbeitswelt von morgen im Sinne aller zu gestalten. Die Schulschließungen infolge der Pandemie haben die Defizite im digital gestützten Unterricht europaweit schonungslos offengelegt. In der Berufs- und Arbeitswelt sind zunehmend digitale Kompetenzen gefragt. Für die Beschäftigten ist entsprechende Weiterbildung entscheidend, um mit den technologischen Entwicklungen Schritt zu halten und ihre Kompetenzen kontinuierlich weiterzuentwickeln. Unsere Vorschläge, wie digitale Bildungsangebote besser bereitgestellt und digitale Kompetenzen gezielter gefördert werden können, entnehmen Sie bitte unserem Feedback anbei.
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Response to Enabling factors for digital education

5 Sept 2022

Die Bereitstellung digitaler Bildungsangebote und die Förderung digitaler Kompetenzen sind über alle Bildungsbereiche hinweg von zentraler Bedeutung, um die Teilhabe in der Arbeitswelt von morgen im Sinne aller zu gestalten. Die Schulschließungen infolge der Pandemie haben die Defizite im digital gestützten Unterricht europaweit schonungslos offengelegt. In der Berufs- und Arbeitswelt sind zunehmend digitale Kompetenzen gefragt. Für die Beschäftigten ist entsprechende Weiterbildung entscheidend, um mit den technologischen Entwicklungen Schritt zu halten und ihre Kompetenzen kontinuierlich weiterzuentwickeln. Unsere Vorschläge, wie digitale Bildungsangebote besser bereitgestellt und digitale Kompetenzen gezielter gefördert werden können, entnehmen Sie bitte unserem Feedback anbei.
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Meeting with Mairead McGuinness (Commissioner) and

22 Jun 2022 · Corporate Sustainability Reporting Direct non-financial reporting standards sustainable finance

German employers warn against regulatory duplication in forced labor ban

20 Jun 2022
Topic — EU initiative to prohibit products made with forced labour from the European market.
Message — The BDA calls for a simplification of reporting duties and the exclusion of products originating within the European Union. They emphasize the need for a full impact assessment to avoid bureaucratic overload.12
Why — This would lower operational expenses and prevent the disruption of established trade frameworks.34
Impact — Vulnerable workers in Europe lose protection if products made within the EU are excluded.5
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German business lobby BDA slams burdensome EU supply chain rules

19 May 2022
Topic — New EU directive requiring companies to monitor human rights and environmental risks.
Message — Limit due diligence obligations strictly to direct tier-one suppliers. Increase the employee threshold to five thousand to exclude smaller firms.12
Why — These changes would lower administrative burdens and prevent unrealistic liability risks.3
Impact — Vulnerable populations lose local improvements as companies withdraw from risky regions.4
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Response to Recommendation on minimum income

1 Apr 2022

The Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) shares the objective of preventing the risk of poverty and social exclusion of people who find themselves in a situation of vulnerability, due to a lack of sufficient economic resources to cover their basic needs. We consider it important to focus on a clear boost to active employment policies to encourage labour market participation and prevent those in need from being left in a permanently “subsidized” situation. Minimum income schemes should be designed as a transition payment towards employment with respect to national contexts and labour market models, including involving social partners, whenever appropriate. Moreover, minimum income schemes belong to the field of social protection, therefore being subject to the competences of the Member States. We will therefore scrutinise the Commission initiative carefully. The BDA further supports the position of BusinessEurope.
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Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

30 Mar 2022 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

30 Mar 2022 · Due Diligence

Meeting with Ursula von der Leyen (President)

29 Mar 2022 · Meeting with BDA President and BDA CEO

Meeting with Gabriele Bischoff (Member of the European Parliament)

16 Feb 2022 · Lohntransparenzrichtlinie

Response to Proposal for a Regulation on establishing a Climate Action Social Facility

18 Nov 2021

Die Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) ist die größte deutsche sozialpolitische Spitzenorganisation und vertritt die Interessen von mehr als 1 Million Unternehmen mit ca. 30,5 Millionen Beschäftigten. Sie setzt sich dafür ein, dass Unternehmen in Deutschland investieren, Innovationen vorantreiben sowie Arbeits- und Ausbildungsplätze schaffen können. Damit vertritt die BDA die gesamte deutsche Wirtschaft von Industrie, über Handel und Handwerk bis Dienstleistungen. Die Einrichtung eines Klima-Sozialfonds bedarf einer besonders sorgfältigen Prüfung, da sie eine neue europäische Umverteilung von Finanzmitteln darstellt und somit Gefahr läuft, sich mit bereits bestehenden Fonds auf EU-Ebene zu überschneiden. Die frühzeitige Einbindung der Sozialpartner auf nationaler und europäischer Ebene ist von entscheidender Bedeutung. Um die Fallstricke zu vermeiden, die bei der Erstellung der nationalen Aufbau- und Resilienzpläne aufgetreten sind, müssen die Sozialpartner bei der Ausarbeitung der sozialen Klimapläne als wichtige Dialogpartner der Mitgliedstaaten eingebunden werden. Es ist unabdingbar, dass die Finanzmaßnahmen kein Ungleichgewicht zwischen direkter Einkommensunterstützung und Investitionen darstellen, damit ein solcher Fonds eine möglichst langfristige Wirkung entfalten kann. In erster Linie sind produktive Investitionen mit einem klaren EU-Mehrwert am besten geeignet, besonders schutzbedürftige Bevölkerungsgruppen und Sektoren langfristig zu entlasten. Im Hinblick auf sozialpolitische Aspekte des Vorschlages – wie etwa die Einkommensbeihilfen – muss die nationale Kompetenz in diesem Politikbereich vollständig eingehalten werden. Der Kreis der Begünstigten sollte in der endgültigen Verordnung um KMU erweitert werden, denn sie sind hinsichtlich der Energieausgaben vergleichbaren Risiken ausgesetzt wie private Haushalte sowie Kleinstunternehmen. Zudem bilden KMU einen wesentlichen Teil ihres Umfeldes und sind oftmals besser geeignet, Investitionen wirksam umzusetzen. Weitergehende Ausführungen finden Sie in dem beigefügten Positionspapier unseres europäischen Dachverbands BusinessEurope (S. 14-17).
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Response to Social and labour aspects of the climate transition

15 Nov 2021

BDA is the umbrella organisation representing the social and economic policy interests of the German business sector encompassing one million companies with around 30.5 million employees. The German economy and labour market have already faced structural changes many a time in the past, proving that only competitive companies can actively shape the change as well as maintain the growth, prosperity, and the acquired level of employment. All actors on the labour market need to join hands living up to our responsibilities to shape the green transition. To do so, the right allocation of roles is key. Our goal therefore needs to be that jobs are created at least to the extent that they will be lost as a result of greening – of structural changes in general. Shaping this change cannot only be reduced to social cushioning in the affected sectors and regions as this would secure jobs merely in the short term. We also need a long-term strategy that relies on skilled workers for building new, competitive structures. To put it simply, we need to maintain employability. The main responsibility for shaping the structural change in the national economy rests with the companies and their employees themselves. As employers we ensure the maintenance of the required, skilled labour base through the investment in and provision of training and our decisive role in shaping our Vocational Educational Training (VET) systems. As business, we create practicable and tailored solutions on the ground, e.g. through our collective agreements we create the appropriate framework for structural change in the respective industries. However, we need to admit that a lifelong job in one and the same company will no longer be the standard for many employees whose individual security on the labour market will be decisively based on flexibility, willingness to change and further training and thus a constantly updated employability. This needs to be flanked by good initial vocational or academic training, continuous professional development, innovative job placement, transparency about development opportunities and, importantly, competent advice. The upcoming Council Recommendation should encourage the member states to support companies and employees in shaping this transition by creating the right framework for a sustainable and competitive economy – thereby laying the foundations for a long-term strategy to the green transition. In detail, this approach could translate in the Member States into: o continuing to actively support targeted further training through labour market policy instruments, o more openness to technology neutrality, o a conducive ecosystem for start-ups and company foundations, o better matching processes when comparing job seekers and job offers and lastly, o more regional networking and innovations in the reallocation of jobs. Existing and, where necessary, new formats at EU level should promote mutual learning between member states and encourage the exchange of best practices. A detailed position on this subject can be found in the attached position paper of BDA (in German).
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Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

27 Oct 2021 · entrepreneurial skills

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

4 Oct 2021 · Minimum Wage, Social Dialog, Platform Work, Labour market developments

Response to Requirements for Artificial Intelligence

28 Jul 2021

Please see our feedback attached.
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Meeting with Didier Reynders (Commissioner) and

10 Jun 2021 · sustainable corporate governance

Response to Collective bargaining agreements for self-employed – scope of application EU competition rules

5 Feb 2021

BDA, the Confederation of German Employers' Associations is the umbrella organisation for the entire German economy. It represents the social and economic policy interests of over 1 million companies with around 20 million employees. Extending the possibility of negotiating collective agreements to self-employed workers is counterproductive. The initiative risks blurring the lines between rights and obligations of self-employed and employed workers. If self-employed workers essentially work for a platform in a correspondingly dependent manner, this could constitute bogus self-employment. Then they must be treated as employees under national law and can organise collectively like all other employees. This must be determined on a case-by-case basis. The initiative also risks weakening national industrial relations systems. It is solely up to the member states and the social partners at national level to decide whether and how to resolve collective representation issues. The EU does not have the competence to regulate collective representation issues. Art. 153 TFEU para. 5 explicitly states: "The provisions of this Article shall not apply to (…) the right of association, the right to strike or the right to impose lock-outs.” Self-employed, including platform workers, perform their work services like commercial contractors and are considered like other market participants. Commonly, collective agreements regulate wages and terms of employment, but not the relationship between independent self-employed and companies. There is no need to change the existing EU competition rules to allow self-employed workers to participate in collective bargaining or wage agreements. Given the differences between individuals who offer their work through platforms – such as the extent to which they use them, whether it is their main source of income or a secondary source, and the fact that they often work through multiple platforms – it is impossible to apply collective agreements to such a diverse group.
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Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

20 Jan 2021 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Meeting with Michael Hager (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

8 Jan 2021 · Commission priorities

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

1 Dec 2020 · Exchange of views on minimum wages and the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Meeting with Dennis Radtke (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Nov 2020 · European Works Councils Directive

Meeting with Andrea Nahles (Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund

11 Nov 2020 · Social dialogue

Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

26 Oct 2020 · minimum wage initiative

Meeting with Axel Voss (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

5 Oct 2020 · Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence

Meeting with Ylva Johansson (Commissioner) and

2 Mar 2020 · Consultations on the New Pact on Migrations

Response to Gender equality in the EU

11 Feb 2020

BDA is the leading organisation dealing with social policy on behalf of the entire German private sector. It represents the interests of small, medium-sized and large companies in all sectors and all issues linked to social policy and collective negotiations, labour legislation, labour market policy and education. BDA works at national, European and international level for the interests of one million companies which employ 20 million workers, and which are networked with BDA through voluntary membership of employer federations. These employer federations are organized in 48 national sectoral organisations and 14 regional associations which are direct members of BDA. BDA strongly promotes employment opportunities and a higher participation rate of women in the labour market and explicitly welcomes the development of more women being part of the workforce as this is key to gender equality. In order to further strengthen this progress, now the causes of different involvement in employment by women and men need to be addressed and framework conditions must be put in place which further upgrade the professional activity and career opportunities for women. This, however, cannot be achieved by introducing legislative measures. Neither bureaucratic pay transparency measures nor other interventionist provisions can effectively support the changes needed to tackle root causes. Political action must now focus on initiatives strengthening work and career opportunities: vocational and study orientation has to be improved and needs-based and high quality childcare as well as all-day schooling have to be further expanded. Also measures focusing on combating gender stereotypes are important to change occupational biographies. BDA explicitly opposes new legislative measures as the current legal framework in the field of social policy is more than sufficient and already today burdens companies with high bureaucracy and red tape. It is important to address root causes which can be done best with non-binding measures which have a sustainable and long-term focus. No further legal action is needed.
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Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Executive Vice-President)

4 Feb 2020 · European Pillar of Social Rights; Social Dialogue; European unemployment benefit reinsurance scheme; Platform workers; European Semester and Sustainable Development Goals

Meeting with Nicolas Schmit (Commissioner) and

4 Feb 2020 · Social agenda

Meeting with Sabine Weyand (Director-General Trade)

4 Feb 2020 · EU Trade Agenda, future relationship with the UK, EU FTAs, US, China

Response to Strengthening the principle of equal pay between men and women through pay transparency

30 Jan 2020

BDA is the leading organisation dealing with social policy on behalf of the entire German private sector. It represents the interests of small, medium-sized and large companies in all sectors and all issues linked to social policy and collective negotiations, labour legislation, labour market policy and education. BDA works at national, European and international level for the interests of one million companies which employ 20 million workers, and which are networked with BDA through voluntary membership of employer federations. These employer federations are organized in 48 national sectoral organisations and 14 regional associations which are direct members of BDA. Employers underline the importance of not mixing up the overall (unadjusted) gender pay gap (i.e. 16 % - as outlined here by the EU Commission) with the concept of pay discrimination. Even Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU says: “[…] the unadjusted GPG [gender pay gap] does not capture discrimination as such. It combines possible differences in pay between men and women, for ‘equal work or work of equal value’, with the impact of differences in the average characteristics of men and women in the labour market.” By stating that “Gender pay discrimination is one of the reasons women in the EU earn 16 % less than men on average” the EU Commission suggests that discrimination is a common cause for the differences in wages between men and woman. However, reasons for differences captured by this number lie first and foremost in factors such as the lower work volume of women and their different career choices (profession and sector). BDA highlights that the current legal framework is sufficient to protect individuals from pay discrimination. The gender pay gap can only be durably closed if the causes of different involvement in employment by men and women are addressed and framework conditions are put in place which further upgrade the professional activity and career opportunities for women. This, however, cannot be achieved by introducing legislative measures as proposed in the EU Commission’s inception impact assessment. Neither bureaucratic pay transparency measures – which, in the case of Germany, were introduced following up on the 2014 Commission Recommendation on pay transparency – nor other interventionist equal pay rules can effectively support the changes needed to tackle root causes. Political action must now focus on initiatives strengthening work and career opportunities: vocational and study orientation has to be improved and needs-based and high quality childcare as well as all-day schooling have to be further expanded. Employers strongly disagree with the assumption, that features of collective bargaining systems could hinder the principle of equal pay for men and women. Collective agreements – negotiated by social partners – guarantee fair wages and salaries. Therefore, collective agreements should be excluded from equal pay regulation. No further legal action is needed.
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Meeting with Joost Korte (Director-General Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion)

14 Nov 2019 · Meeting to discuss the initiatives in the competence of DG EMPL which President-elect von der Leyen proposed in her political guidelines and addressed in her mission letter to Commissioner-designate Schmit.

Meeting with Michel Barnier (Head of Task Force Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and Deutsche Industrie- und Handelskammer

23 Sept 2019 · Meeting with the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

5 Sept 2019 · Future outlook for the next Commission

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

20 Mar 2019 · Social Affairs

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Vice-President) and

27 Nov 2018 · Social dialogue and decision making in particular in the social area

Response to Validation of non-formal and informal learning - Evaluation

12 Nov 2018

The Confederation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) welcomes the evaluation of Council Recommendation 2012/C 398/01 on the validation of non-formal and informal learning. This should be based on expert knowledge provided by Member States, social partners, chambers, education and training providers, and other stakeholders of non-formal and informal education. Securing skilled workers will remain a key challenge for the European economy in the coming years. Therefore, it is important to secure talents especially with STEM and digital skills, promote access to continued and lifelong learning, point out qualitative and tailor-made development opportunities for different target groups, and ensure employability of the unemployed and disadvantaged. While formal education must always be prioritised, we believe that the validation of non-formal and informal learning can be of complementary support to strengthen the employability of low-skilled workers. Against this background, we support increased efforts of the Member States in establishing and expanding validation procedures if they adhere to existing national and European quality frameworks. These should however not add any administrative burden on apprentices, employees and employers. Transparent and easily accessible counselling on opportunities related to validation of non-formal and informal learning should further be strengthened. It is however important that non-formal and informal learning is not automatically put on equal level with formal qualifications. Also, as a guiding principle, the difference of education systems in Europe and subsidiarity must be respected. To make sure validation arrangements for non-formal and informal learning are of high quality, practice-oriented and benefit the employability of workers, it is crucial that social partners are deeply involved in these efforts. BDA remains available to provide further information throughout the evaluation process.
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Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner), Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

24 May 2018 · Social Affairs

Meeting with Marianne Thyssen (Commissioner) and

24 May 2018 · European Labour Authority, Posting of Workers, Transparent and predictable working conditions

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

23 Jan 2018 · Social fairness package

Meeting with Michel Barnier (Head of Task Force Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom)

29 Nov 2017 · Meeting with the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU

Meeting with Michael Hager (Cabinet of Vice-President Günther Oettinger)

21 Nov 2017 · introductory meeting

Meeting with Matthias Ruete (Director-General Migration and Home Affairs)

7 Nov 2017 · Exchange of views on the current revision of the Blue Card directive

Meeting with Markus Schulte (Cabinet of Vice-President Günther Oettinger) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and

30 Jun 2017 · Reflection paper

Meeting with Johannes Laitenberger (Director-General Competition)

26 Jun 2017 · European affairs

Meeting with Matthias Ruete (Director-General Migration and Home Affairs)

26 Jun 2017 · Informal Dinner Discussion on Legal Migration/Integration

Meeting with Michael Hager (Cabinet of Vice-President Günther Oettinger)

5 Apr 2017 · current EU policies

Response to Legal Guidance on the Working Time Directive

27 Mar 2017

„Interpretative Communication“: Falscher Ansatz, Kommission muss Sozialpartner konsultieren Zusammenfassung: Die Überarbeitung der Richtlinie 2003/88/EG über bestimmte Aspekte der Arbeitszeitgestaltung (Arbeitszeitrichtlinie) beschäftigt die europäische Sozialpolitik bereits seit vielen Jahren. Die BDA sieht Korrekturbedarf, lehnt jedoch den gewählten Ansatz einer „Interpretative Communication“ ab. Mit der Interpretation zur Arbeitszeitrichtlinie überschreitet die Kommission die ihr übertragenen Kompetenzen: Die Auslegung der Richtlinie ist Aufgabe des EuGH. Eine „Interpretative Communication“, wenn auch nicht bindend, die die teils sehr problematischen und weit über den Arbeitsschutzzweck hinausgehenden EuGH-Urteile zusammenträgt, sorgt dafür, dass diese Urteile politisch zementiert werden. Dies konterkariert das eigentliche Ziel der Richtlinie eines Mindeststandards für den Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz. Die Begründung der Initiative im Fahrplan der Kommission, sie trage zur Work-Life-Balance bei (Abschnitt A, „Context, Problem and Subsidiarity Check“) und unterstütze die moderne Arbeitsorganisation (Abschnitt B, „What does the initiative aim to achieve and how“), ist im Hinblick auf das Ziel der Richtlinie, einen europaweiten Mindeststandard für Arbeits- und Gesundheitsschutz zu schaffen, nicht schlüssig. Falls die Kommission an ihrem Plan festhält, eine „Interpretative Communication“ zur Arbeitszeitrichtlinie zu veröffentlichen, ist es zwingend notwendig, dass die Sozialpartner, wie in Art. 154 AEUV vorgesehen, ihre Einschätzungen zum Inhalt des Kommissionsvorschlags abgeben können. [Die ausführliche Stellungnahme findet sich im Anhang]
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Meeting with Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

9 Feb 2017 · European Pillar of Social Rights

Meeting with Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

12 Jul 2016 · Competitiveness, social affairs, digital agenda

Meeting with Michael Hager (Digital Economy)

12 Jul 2016 · competitiveness, social affairs, digital agenda

Meeting with Walter Deffaa (Director-General Regional and Urban Policy)

30 Jun 2016 · Zukunft der Kohäsionspolitik

Meeting with Andreas Schwarz (Cabinet of Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V. and

16 Jun 2016 · MFF Mid-term review

Meeting with Michael Hager (Digital Economy)

7 Jun 2016 · DSM

Meeting with Matthias Ruete (Director-General Migration and Home Affairs)

5 Apr 2016 · Informal Discussion on Integration

Meeting with Jan Ceyssens (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V.

2 Mar 2016 · Tax Avoidance Package

Meeting with Věra Jourová (Commissioner) and

16 Feb 2016 · Gender equality & diversity at workplace

Meeting with Matthias Ruete (Director-General Migration and Home Affairs)

9 Dec 2015 · Dinner Discussion on Greek Structural Reform, the Refugee Crisis and the British Referendum

Meeting with Jan Ceyssens (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

26 Nov 2015 · Completing EMU

Meeting with Jean-Claude Juncker (President)

13 Jul 2015 · The European social dialogue

Meeting with Jan Ceyssens (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

19 May 2015 · Social dialogue

Meeting with Stefaan Hermans (Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen)

18 May 2015 · Social dialogue

Meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis (Vice-President) and

22 Apr 2015 · European Semester - country analysis Germany

Meeting with Marianne Thyssen (Commissioner) and Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund

28 Jan 2015 · Social and employment priorities of the new European Commission

Meeting with Matthias Ruete (Director-General Migration and Home Affairs)

14 Jan 2015 · Legal Migration, Labour/Economic Migration

Meeting with Günther Oettinger (Commissioner)

4 Dec 2014 · Digital Agenda

Meeting with Christian Burgsmueller (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström) and Bundesverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V.

3 Dec 2014 · TTIP; expectations from the German economy