Today up to 13 EU member states will decide whether to extend restrictions on Croatian workers’ freedom of movement within the EU. Croatia’s accession to the EU in July 2013 brought immediate free movement of goods, services and capital – but not of workers!   Until 30 June 2015 EU member states were allowed not to respect freedom of movement of workers from Croatia. The EU allows further periods of up to five years in which EU member states can ignore freedom of movement for Croatians (until end June 2020). 

Adopted by the Executive Committee at its meeting on 21-22 October 2014 Economic policies followed until now to tackle the economic and social crisis have failed. They brought about low growth and deflation, increased precarious work and unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, rising poverty and inequalities. Divergences within and between countries increased.  Competition has been extended to all fields, including taxation, workers’ rights, workers’ wages, workers’ protection, working conditions, and social protection. 

Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee on 11-12 March 2014 Undeclared work is a serious form of social dumping and it is high time that concrete action is taken at EU level in order to prevent undeclared work and to protect undeclared workers. The EU needs better enforcement of existing labour laws and standards as well as a stronger role in promoting more, and better, cooperation and coordination between the different national administrations.

By a small majority Swiss voters decided to put an end to the freedom of movement of workers between Switzerland and the European Union. The  European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) respects the democratic decision of Swiss citizens. At the same time it underlines that this decision has wide ranging consequences and brings into question the whole relationship between the EU and Switzerland.

Brussels, 03-04/12/2013

Brussels, 03-04/12/2013 - The dramatic events in Lampedusa provoked a wave of indignation throughout Europe and worldwide. It is one of the recurrent tragedies involving migrants on the border of Europe, notably in the Mediterranean Sea. - The Southern routes of migration will be fed by wars and persecutions and natural events hitting the population in Africa and in the Middle East. The political instability of such areas reduces margins of cooperation with origin/transit countries.

Bruxelles, 2013

Brussels, 02/05/2013 “This proposal by the Commission was both expected and needed, all the more given the increase in serious problems linked to discrimination and unequal treatment in Europe notably as a result of the application of transitional measures for the new Member States as well as and the increasing xenophobia in more and more Member States” stated Luca Visentini, ETUC Confederal Secretary.

Brussels, 05-06/03/2013 {{INTRODUCTION }} European migration policy is being deployed in a new institutional environment in which the European Parliament can intervene as co-legislator. It has opened doors to the greater involvement of civil society in a consultative role, from which the ETUC has benefitted as well.

Brussels, 05-06/12/2012 On 1st July 2013 Croatia will join the European Union.

Brussels, 2011

Brussels, 2011

Project to strengthen contacts and mutual exchange of experience between the trade unions of Turkey and trade unions of EU Member States. (2010) Trade unions and migration into the European Union Trade unions and free movement of workers in the European Union

Oslo, 10/10/2006 To be checked against delivery Thank you for the opportunity to attend and address this YS conference. Europe is not always top of a list of the people of Norway's favourite ideas. So an opportunity to talk about its significance and importance to working people in our continent and in Norway is welcome.

Brussels, 14-15 March 2006 Introduction In the autumn of 2003, the ETUC was consulted about a prior document of the Commission, COM (2003) 458, regarding the implementation of the so-called Posting Directive.

Brussels, 5-6 December 2005 1) On the occasion of the enlargement of 1 May 2004, 12 of 15 ‘old' Member States have introduced transitional measures. Some new Member States have applied measures on the basis of reciprocity as a response. Before 1 May 2006 the Council will have to review the functioning of the transitional provisions on the basis of a Commission report. This report is expected to be published in January 2006. ETUC wants to contribute to the debate about the next steps with this resolution and the explanatory memorandum in the annex.

Brussels, 15-16 March 2005 {{1. Introduction: }}

Brussels, 16 October 2003