The Situation of Employee Financial Participation in the EU-28
Country | Incidence of Profit Sharing (PS) | Incidence of Employee Share Ownership (ESO) | Specific State/Fiscal Incentives | Trade Union Positions | Comments / Specific Features |
Austria | EWCS (2012): 8.9% ECS (2009): 8% | EWCS (2012): 1.9% ECS (2009): 2% | Yes Promotion of ESO and SO | Critical, but supportive in particular cases (especially profit sharing) | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Belgium | EWCS (2012): 9.7% ECS (2009): 15% | EWCS (2012): 3.4% ECS (2009): 11% | Yes Promotion of ESO, SO and PS Law on PS and ESO | Critical, but supportive in particular cases (especially profit sharing) | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
Bulgaria | EWCS (2012): 8.3% ECS (2009): 9% | EWCS (2012): 0.6% ECS (2009): 7% | No | Generally supportive | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Cyprus | EWCS (2012): 3.2% ECS (2009): 6% | EWCS (2012): 0.9% ECS (2009): 4% | No | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | |
Czech Republic | EWCS (2012): 17.8% ECS (2009): 17% | EWCS (2012): 0.6% ECS (2009): 1% | No | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Denmark | EWCS (2012): 11.5% ECS (2009): 14% | EWCS (2012): 4.5% ECS (2009): 13% | Yes Promotion of ESO | Critical, not supportive | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
Estonia | EWCS (2012): 11% ECS (2009): 18% | EWCS (2012): 0.8% ECS (2009): 3% | No | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Finland | EWCS (2012): 23.6% ECS (2009): 23% | EWCS (2012): 2.1% ECS (2009): 5% | Yes Promotion of share-based PS by ‘Personnel funds’ in firms with more than 30 employees | Generally supportive | Priority objective of usage: Income policy Supported by social partners |
France | EWCS (2012): 22.9% ECS (2009): 35% | EWCS (2012): 7% ECS (2009): 5% | Yes Substantial promotion of PS, ESO and savings plans Deferred PS compulsory in firms with more than 50 employees Tax benefits for SO | Critical, but actively involved on firm level | Active role of the state Priority objective of usage: Income policy and supplementary pensions |
Germany | EWCS (2012): 12.2% ECS (2009): 14% |
EWCS (2012): 2% ECS (2009): 3% | Yes Especially promotion of savings plans Promotion of ESO within the legislation of capital accumulation (savings plans) Tax benefits for SO | Critical, but supportive in particular cases (especially profit sharing); currently interested in employee financial participation | Priority objective of usage: Income policy and supplementary pensions Fiscal incentives mainly focus on savings plans |
Greece |
EWCS (2012): 2.9% ECS (2009): 4% |
EWCS (2012): 0.2% ECS (2009): 2% | Yes Promotion of ESO and PS Tax benefits for SO | Generally supportive | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
Hungary | EWCS (2012): 7.7% ECS (2009): 13% | EWCS (2012): 0.6% ECS (2009): 4% | Yes Promotion of ESO | Interested, but no activities | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Ireland | EWCS (2012): 5.7% ECS (2009): 11% | EWCS (2012): 2.4% ECS (2009): 6% | (Yes) Incentives suspended due to the economic and financial crisis Substantial promotion of ESO, PS and savings-related SO | Generally supportive | Especially supported by joint stock companies and SMEs Priority objective of usage: Wage flexibility and supplementary pensions |
Italy |
EWCS (2012): 8.8% ECS (2009): 3% |
EWCS (2012): 2.3% ECS (2009): 4% | Yes Promotion of ESO and PS, but to a small extent | Mixed attitudes | |
Latvia |
EWCS (2012): 7.8% ECS (2009): 10% |
EWCS (2012): 0.9% ECS (2009): 4% | Yes Promotion of ESO | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Lithuania |
EWCS (2012): 10.3% ECS (2009): 8% |
EWCS (2012): 0.3% ECS (2009): 3% | Yes Promotion of ESO | Interested, but no activities | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Luxembourg |
EWCS (2012): 14.3% ECS (2009): 9% |
EWCS (2012): 4.6% ECS (2009): 4% | No | Critical, not supportive | |
Malta |
EWCS (2012): 3.5% ECS (2009): 4% |
EWCS (2012): 1.2% ECS (2009): 3% | No | Generally supportive | |
Netherlands | **** EWCS (2012): 18% ECS (2009): 27% |
EWCS (2012): 2.6% ECS (2009): 5% | Yes Promotion of ESO and savings plans Tax benefits for SO | Critical, but increasingly supportive in particular cases (especially profit sharing) | Priority objective of usage: Income policy and supplementary pensions |
Poland |
EWCS (2012): 14.5% ECS (2009): 7% |
EWCS (2012): 1.6% ECS (2009): 4% | Yes Promotion of ESO | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Portugal |
EWCS (2012): 3% ECS (2009): 16% |
EWCS (2012): 1.7% ECS (2009): - | Yes Promotion of ESO and PS, but to a small extent | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
Romania |
EWCS (2012): 4.6% ECS (2009): 7% |
EWCS (2012): 1.9% ECS (2009): 11% | Yes Promotion of ESO | Supportive in particular cases | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Slovakia |
EWCS (2012): 21.4% ECS (2009): 17% |
EWCS (2012): 3.2% ECS (2009): 2% | No | No important issue on the agenda, low priority | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries |
Slovenia |
EWCS (2012): 20.4% ECS (2009): 14% |
EWCS (2012): 4.2% ECS (2009): 7% | Yes Especially promotion of ESO | Generally supportive | Mainly used during privatisation of state industries Supported by social partners |
Spain |
EWCS (2012): 5.9% ECS (2009): 17% |
EWCS (2012): 2.2% ECS (2009): 5% | Yes Promotion of ESO and SO Promotion of ‘workers’ companies’ (social economy) | Critical, but supportive in particular cases | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
Sweden |
EWCS (2012): 15% ECS (2009): 24% |
EWCS (2012): 2% ECS (2009): 11% | Yes Promotion of share-based PS by ‘Profit Sharing Foundations’ | Critical, but supportive in particular cases (especially profit sharing) | Priority objective of usage: Income policy |
United Kingdom |
EWCS (2012): 11.8% ECS (2009): 8% | EWCS (2012): 4.4% ECS (2009): 6% | Yes Substantial promotion of ESO, PS and savings-related SO | Critical, but actively involved on firm level | Especially supported by joint stock companies and SMEs Priority objective of usage: Wage flexibility and supplementary pensions |
Abbreviations
ESO: Employee Share Ownership
PS: Profit Sharing
SO: Stock Options