Fairer labour mobility

By rapporteur Laura González de Txabarri Etxaniz

The drafting of an exploratory opinion on fairer labour mobility within the EU at the request of the Netherlands Presidency comes against a background of serious threats to the freedom of movement of workers and, in general, all persons in the EU.

The restrictions being imposed in the Schengen area by some Member States as a result of the influx of refugees fleeing wars in Syria, Iraq and other countries, as well as exceptions to the equal treatment of intra-EU mobile workers agreed with the United Kingdom in the framework of the negotiations on what has become known as “Brexit”, pose, in addition to other considerations of solidarity, international legality etc., a serious threat to free movement of workers and the equal treatment which this implies.

Against this background, the labour mobility package announced by the EC, despite the publication of a proposal for revision of Directive 96/71/EC concerning the posting of workers, does not tackle the wage differences existing between local and posted workers, which will be the subject of a separate opinion.

The opinion has sought to reflect the complexity of labour mobility, its benefits and disadvantages and the risks it may, and indeed does, entail.

Free movement of workers within the EU is one of the socially most valuable achievements of the European integration process. When conducted under fair conditions, it can be beneficial for workers, businesses and society as a whole. It brings greater employment opportunities for workers and more scope for employers and can help overcome divergences in levels of employment in the various Member States. In the right conditions, it could also encourage interaction between Europeans and improve mutual knowledge and acceptance, thereby contributing to a more tolerant and inclusive society.

However, at the same time it may entail a number of drawbacks that need to be addressed. These include an outflow of young people and a brain-drain from countries with high rates of unemployment, the discrimination to which mobile workers are in many cases subject in terms of wages, working conditions, social benefits etc., and the rejection which mobile workers experience based on the ill-founded belief that they abuse social benefits in the countries to which they move.

The only way to ensure that labour mobility is fair and mutually beneficial for all parties is, first, to ensure that it is voluntary, in the sense that nobody is forced to leave their country and their social and cultural environment because of an inability to find decent work in their country of origin. To this end, it is necessary to invest in economic development and job creation in all EU countries.

The other essential requirement for fair mobility is to ensure equal treatment for all mobile workers in terms of working conditions and wages, social security, access to social services, education, taxation etc. This is also the only way to combat wage and social dumping which arises as a result of the discrimination and exploitation that mobile workers in many cases experience.

Only under these conditions will there be fair mobility that creates opportunities and benefits workers, businesses and society as a whole.