European Cooperative Societies: apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC)
How employees, employers and their representatives can resolve disputes under the European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006
These regulations provide for the creation of European Cooperative Societies “Societas Cooperativa Europaea” or “SCE” and apply where the SCE is registered in Great Britain. If an SCE is established there is an obligation on it to establish information and consultation machinery. Disputes about the setting up and running of these information and consultation arrangements can be brought to the CAC.
Types of application and complaint
There are several types of applications or complaint that can be made. These include whether:
- a participating individual or the competent organ of a participating legal entity has failed to provide information or the information is false or incomplete.
- the special negotiating body (this is a group of employee representatives which negotiates with the participating individual or the competent organ of a participating legal entity companies about setting up the Employee Involvement Agreement) is properly constituted.
- the arrangements for the ballot of the UK employees comply with the regulations.
- the parties are complying with the terms of the agreement.
You can read the full list .
The Regulations are available from legislation.gov.uk.
Make an application or complaint
Complaints or applications should be made to the CAC unless you are:
- a Northern Ireland employee or any representative appointed or elected to act in Northern Ireland
- a Northern Ireland member of the special negotiating body
- an information and consultation representative elected or appointed to act in Northern Ireland
- an SCE registered in Northern Ireland, or a subsidiary of such an SCE;
- a participating individual resident in Northern Ireland
- a participating legal entity or concerned subsidiary with its registered office (or principal place of business if not a body corporate) in Northern Ireland
in which case complaints should be made to the Industrial Court.
There is no application form for the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) so you should write or email with the following information:
- your name and contact details
- the name and contact details of the other party (the SCE, participating individual or participating legal entity or concerned subsidiary or employee as appropriate)
- the Regulation number of your application or complaint listed in .
- a brief statement explaining your complaint
Send your email to enquiries@cac.gov.uk.
What happens next from 1 January 2021
The Financial Services (Miscellaneous)(Amendment)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019 has revoked The European Cooperative Society Regulations 2006 from 1 January 2021. This means The European Cooperative Society (Involvement of Employees) Regulations 2006 will have no legal status due to this and will be revoked in the near future.