German and British labour law in a European context following European Union enlargement

This report examines and compares German and British trade union responses, in a European context, to the European Union enlargements in 2004 and 2007.

The author argues that given that their different responses to the similar problems they face such as declining membership and losing influence in collective relations produced different outcomes, they could learn from each other's experiences and would benefit from a comparison.

The report examines how trade unions are responding within their legal systems to the challenges of European enlargement and determines how trade unions can use law and the opportunities that law has to offer them to better respond to changing regulatory and opportunity structures existing at a national and European level in order to successfully integrate migrants into their host labour markets.

The ETUC also has a potentially strong role to play in helping trade unions respond to the challenges of enlargement and it has begun to develop initiatives such as an exchange of good practice for the recruitment of new Member State workers but its role as a medium through which unions can influence the formulation of European policies and legislation can be further enhanced.