This article presents the major findings of a research project for the European Union on the development of promotion of employee ownership and profit sharing, known as PEPPER schemes, and the diffusion of these schemes throughout Europe. Since the first PEPPER report in 1991, the general situation of government policy on financial participation schemes in EU countries has improved slightly. Official government positions in individual EU countries still range from strongly in favour to undefined. The different government positions relate to distinct industrial relations systems in individual EU countries. This is demonstrated by the very particular developments with respect to the issue of financial participation in France, Germany and the UK.
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