Visit of the EESC President to Lithuania

During his visit to Lithuania on April 21st and 22nd, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Georges Dassis, focused on issues of labour mobility, the posting of workers as well as the social aspects of the single market.

On April 21st, the EESC President attended the opening of a consultation and information centre in Kalvarija near the border with Poland. Unique in its kind, this centre is designed to serve as an information point for posted and mobile workers in the EU cross-border territory between Lithuania and Poland.

On the morning of April 22nd, President Dassis gave the opening speech at the conference on "Practical implementation of the EU policy on mobility of workers" at the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania in Vilnius. The conference was held in the context of the international project on the posting of workers, implemented by the "Project Management and Training Centre", a public institution bringing together social partners from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland.

In his speech, Mr. Dassis highlighted the importance of workers' free movement as a pillar of European Integration and a most valued achievement of European citizens. Noting that workers should be paid according to the laws and collective agreements of the country in which they work, the EESC President emphasised that mobile workers have currently become more vulnerable calling for more work to be done for ensuring their equal treatment in terms of social security, fair payment, decent working conditions and training.