The European Union has created a legal framework for the establishment of employee representation bodies at the cross-border level, known as European Works Councils (EWCs) (see the repository's page dedicated to the EWC)
Some companies have chosen to extend these European committees to cover their worldwide operations, thus setting up global social dialogue bodies, also known as Global Works Councils (GWCs). These global bodies can be set up through EWC agreements extended to other countries via specific agreements, or in the context of IFAs. GWCs, established through IFAs, provide for the establishment of a global committee. This global committee is responsible for monitoring the application of the agreement, providing information and enabling the exchange of views on major topics concerning the company (particularly its strategic direction) and the actual or potential impacts on its workers. The degree of familiarization of these bodies varies from one IFA to another.
In addition to these global committees, some companies are involved in partnerships with Global Union federations (GUFs). These collaborative relationships sometimes exist among companies that have not signed IFAs, and often involve meetings to inform the GUFs’ representatives and their affiliates on subjects affecting the running of the company.