1. Social regulation of European transnational companies Comparative and pluridisciplinary european research project June 2004 - June 2007 Coordination : CNRS Comptrasec (I. Daugareilh) Consortium composition : Université Bordeaux IV, LARE-EFI (J.M. Cardebat, P. Cassagnard) Univ. Libre de Bruxelles (M. Dispersyn) Univ. Toulouse 2 CERTOP (F. Cochoy) Hamburger Universität, HWP (E. Kocher, R. Koepke, U. Zachert) Univ. de Trento, UNITN-DES (S. Scarponi, S. Gherardi) Univ. Castilla La Mancha, UCLM, (J. Aparicio Tovar, M. Baranano Cid) Utrecht University, (T. Jaspers, P.L.M. Leisink) Essex University (S. Leader, B. Watt, P. Regibeau, I. Barankay)

2. Workpackage number 1 Status report Objectives : 1.To produce a status report on the social practices of European transnational companies 2.To produce an expertise in this field in each of the member states. Description of work : 1.Identifying a panel of firms and business sectors that will be analysed using various techniques 2.Designing, producing, and conducting questionnaires and interviews 3.Establishing a data set for each country

3. Workpackage number 2 Typology Objectives : 1.To produce a multidisciplinary, European typology of social practices in European transnational companies and their normative references (national, regional, or global). The classification should make it possible 2.To distinguish between social responsibility and other, similar concepts (social governance, social or sustainable development, social ethics, etc.). Description of work : 1.Describing the internal normativeness induced by social responsibility, identifying the players and media, and measuring the return on investment in social standards outside Europe. 2.Classifying the social practices from all three disciplines (law, economics, sociology) in a multidisciplinary perspective work. 3.Classifying the social practices with comparative methodology.

4. Workpackage number 3 Regulation Objectives : 1.To explore and measure the hypothesis of a "codification" of social ethics in the economic exchanges of European transnational companies. 2.To analyse how law – European community law – can integrate specific corporate standards and create a shared (articulated) space for (public/private) management of social rights outside Europe. Description of work : 1.Proposing by law specialists assessments of the legal nature of existing regulations on systems for monitoring application of standards and sanctions. 2.Analysing three aspects by sociologists experts, the mercantilisation of law, the proximity of the rule of law to its subjects, and the value and representation of rules. 3.Measuring the adequate level for a legal instrument to provide a framework for social practices.

5. Workpackage number 4 Modelling Objectives : 1.To test the hypothesis that European transnational companies have developed a model of labour relations and social practices originating in the European social model. 2.To propose European social and economic indicators usable by these companies, as well as by the relevant European authorities. Description of work : 1. Describing the distinctive characteristics of a European model for social responsibility in companies operating outside the European community. 2. Testing the indicators that will be presented and will serve as a basis for a final evaluation of the regulation of practices observed. 3.Evaluating the risks and advantages of a change from spontaneous corporate normativeness to a legal framework.