enterprise experience positively, to a greater degree, the relationship to their work
and to those whom they meet in the course of it.
The harmonization of the conditions of employment for the personnel of Amstel
Brouwerij B.V. reached the stage where on January i, 1972, the personnel of that
company entered the service of Heineken Brouwerijen B.V.
In the meantime the conditions of employment were also harmonized for the
personnel of Vrumona B.V., so that on January 1, 1972, the Collective Labour
Agreement of Heineken Brouwerijen B.V. could be declared applicable to the
personnel of Vrumona B.V.
The preparatory work with a view of the integration of the conditions of employment
for the personnel of the above-mentioned companies was actively continued.
The new Staff Councils Law prompted us to consider, in consultation with the staff
councils, a revision of the regulations of these councils and the setting-up of a central
staff council. The prospects are that the new structure will be able to function in the
financial year 1972/1973
In connection with a number of new jobs a suitably adapted classification system
has been created. This makes possible a good comparison of jobs within the concern
and is also further conducive towards a proper system of remuneration.
In order to stimulate the development of our executive staff in the Netherlands and
elsewhere, and to promote effective management, much attention has again been paid
this year to the training of our employees.
We base our confidence in the further satisfactory development of the enterprise
also on the energy and zeal which the employees at home and abroad have devoted
to the concern. We wish to express our deep gratitude to them for this.
Benelux During the year under review the agreement for unification of excise duties between
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg was concluded. It came into effect on
January 1, 1973.
We feel bound to say that the contents of this treaty are disappointing to us. Real
unification of excise duties is by no means guaranteed by the treaty, since it leaves
the three partners the opportunity to deviate autonomously from the agreed rates.
This would mean that the brewing industry in the other Benelux countries would
come to be in a more favourable competitive position.
If on top of that it were to be possible to transport beer to the Netherlands without
an effective levy for the amount of the difference in excise duty, this would indeed
be very disadvantageous to Netherlands breweries.
We doubt the possibility of bringing about-without frontier control, as the treaty pres
cribes - a genuine compensation of differences in excise duty between the Benelux coun
tries. This problem already arises immediately, since until January 1,1974, the Belgian
rate of duty will remain N.fl. 6.per hectolitre lower than the Netherlands rate.
