The Impact of the Jurisprudence of the Court of Justiceof the European Union on Germany’s Collective Bargaining System

Abstract

How is the German model of industrial relations affected by European integration, particularly by the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ? What are the effects on the autonomy of collective bargaining ? The analysis of selected rulings shows that the impact of the Court’s jurisprudence is ambivalent. In the area of individual labour law, the rights of workers have been strengthened. In contrast, in the area of collective labour law, the Court has restricted the autonomy of collective bargaining. 1