Free Movement / Posting of Workers

Mobility should be an opportunity for EU citizens to develop their professional, personal and economic potential. It also allows workers to match their skills with labour market requirements, and employers to draw on a wider pool of talent.

A ‘posted worker’ is a person employed in one EU country (‘Member State of origin’) and sent by his/her employer on a temporary basis to work in another (‘host Member State’).

To guarantee that rights and working conditions are protected throughout the Union and to avoid social dumping, the Posting of Workers Directive 96/71/EC establishes a core of mandatory rules on terms and conditions of employment of posted workers in the host Member State. In other words, the posted worker must enjoy at least the same conditions as local workers.

27.09.2020 Document

Equal rights and efficient wage protection are the best solution for all workers, European and Swiss

Declaration of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) Rejection in Switzerland of the so-called “limitation” initiative Equal rights and efficient wage protection are the best solution for all workers, both European and Swiss
20.05.2020 Document

ETUC note on Posted Workers and the COVID-19 Outbreak

Measures fall short of protecting posted workers in the outbreak of COVID-19 Posted workers in the EU face particular challenges in view of the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures imposed, not only in terms of border restrictions on the free movement of workers and services, but also in terms of emergency measures introduced to mitigate and protect workers and businesses from negative consequences of the crisis. Posted workers are at particular risk of being left behind.
20.05.2020 Document

ETUC comments on the Commission Communication on a phased and coordinated approach for restoring freedom of movement

On 13 May 2020, the European Commission issued a Communication on a phased and coordinated approach for restoring freedom of movement and lifting internal border controls. This guidance document is complemented by specific Guidelines on the progressive restoration of transport services and connectivity.
03.04.2020 Document

ETUC comments on the European Commission ‘Guidelines on Free Movement of Workers during the COVID-19 Outbreak’

On 30 March 2020 the European Commission published Guidelines on the exercise of the free movement of workers in view of the COVID-19 outbreak and the border restrictions that have been put in place by Member States. The aim of these Guidelines is to ensure that mobile workers, such as frontier, posted and seasonal workers within the EU, will be able to reach their workplace also in cross-border situations between Member States, in particular workers in critical occupations.
25.09.2019 Document

Posting: the ETUC continues to fight for equal treatment and full respect of workers' rights

The European Commission has published today its Implementation Report on the Enforcement Directive on posting of workers, as well as a practical guidance on the rules regulating posting.
05.07.2019 Press release

No to walls, No to Italy outside Schengen, Yes to free movement of people

The European Trade Union Confederation supports the Friuli Venezia Giulia-Slovenia Interregional Trade Union Council and Italian and Slovenian civil society in opposing border closure.
19.03.2019 Press release

Deal on social security: better for mobile & posted workers

Commenting on the deal today in ‘trilogue’ on social security coordination, Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary at the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) said
30.11.2018 Press release

Mobility package - Better no deal that a bad deal

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) supports European transport unions in calling on EU Transport Ministers meeting on December 3 not to approve the current deal that would worsen working conditions for drivers across Europe.
25.11.2018 Page

Court ruling ends exploitation of Polish and Moldavian drivers

The ETUC’s Dutch affiliate FNV has won an important court case against a subcontractor for the IKEA furniture sales giant, combatting social dumping among delivery drivers. Brinkman Trans Holland, based in Emmen in the Netherlands, transports goods for IKEA and subcontracts work to companies based in Eastern Europe. By hiring drivers from Poland and Moldova to work in western Europe on low-paid eastern European contracts, these firms aimed to circumvent Dutch tax, social security payments and workers’ rights.
16.10.2018 Press release

ETUC supports Visegrad trade unions on posted workers and Ukraine

ETUC supports Visegrad trade unions on posted workers and Ukraine:
09.10.2018 Document

ETUC Statement: The ETUC supports Swiss unions in their fight for wage and labour protection measures!

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) is aware of pressure from the European Commission on Switzerland to use the current negotiations on a new framework agreement with the EU as an attempt to dismantle “accompanying measures”, introduced to protect posted workers and Swiss workers from social dumping and undercutting of wages.
05.10.2018 Press release

ETUC condemns complaint to Court of Justice on Posted Workers

The European Trade Union Confederation has condemned the Hungarian and Polish Governments for filing a complaint to the Court of Justice of the European Union on the revised Posted Workers Directive and vowed to fight it all the way.
06.07.2018 Document

The ETUC supports Swiss unions in their defence of accompanying measures

Letter sent to Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and to Ms Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Dear High Representative Mogherini, dear Commissioner Thyssen,
29.05.2018 Press release

Justice at last: equal pay for posted workers

Commenting on the outcome today of the European Parliament vote on posted workers, Liina Carr, Confederal Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), saluting a victory for Europe’s posted workers, said: “Justice at last for posted workers. “With the YES vote, the ETUC is very pleased that posted workers now have the prospect of equal pay. “Even if the final deal includes important compromises such as the exclusion of transport workers, it guarantees at least the same pay for the same work in the same place.
28.05.2018 Press release

MEPS must vote YES on posted workers deal

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has written to MEPs urging them to vote in favour of the revision of Posting of Workers Directive. The Plenary vote is due to take place on Tuesday 29 May on the trilogue deal between the Commission, Council and Parliament in March, and is a yes/no vote without the possibility of amendments. The text has already been approved by Council.
20.03.2018 Press release

Compromise on posting needs MEP & Ministers' agreement

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) urges MEPs and EU Governments to support the compromise deal on the Posting of Workers Directive agreed last night in ‘trilogue’ negotiations between the European Parliament, Commission and Council.
01.03.2018 Press release

Equal pay in sight for posted workers?

The ETUC calls on MEPs and Governments to approve last night’s agreement on the revision of the Posting of Workers Directive, providing it offers full equal pay and protection for Europe’s posted workers. “At last posted workers could have a guarantee of equal pay,” said Luca Visentini, ETUC General Secretary, “and better protection. For some of Europe's 2 million posted workers it offers the prospect of a long overdue pay rise.
24.10.2017 Press release

Revision of the posting of workers Directive - Justice for workers now depends on MEPs

Agreement late last night by Employment Ministers on the revision of the posting of workers Directive finally triggers negotiations with the European Parliament to finalise the much-needed revision of the Directive. However, given the disappointing agreement by Employment Ministers, fair rights for posted workers now depends on the negotiating skills and determination of the European Parliament. The agreement reached by Ministers
16.10.2017 Press release

Posted workers' rights in hands of EP vote today

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) urges the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament to adopt today the compromise package proposed by the co-rapporteurs. If adopted today and confirmed by the plenary next week, this package will become the official mandate for the European Parliament to negotiate with Council during “trilogue” discussions. The ETUC has long been calling on MEPs for a revision to ensure posted workers receive equal pay or the same work in the same place as a local worker.
20.07.2017 Press release

Trade unions meet French President in Paris

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will have a meeting with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, on Friday 21 July at 11am at the Elysée Palace. Leading the ETUC delegation will be ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini, who will be accompanied by ETUC Confederal Secretary Thiébaut Weber and the Secretary Generals of the five French trade unions affiliated to the ETUC: Laurent Berger (CFDT), Philippe Martinez (CGT), Jean-Claude Mailly (FO), Philippe Louis (CFTC), Luc Bérille (UNSA).
20.03.2017 Document

ETUC Statement on the notification of the UK to withdraw from the European Union

STATEMENT OF THE ETUC ON THE NOTIFICATION OF THE UK TO WITHDRAW FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION Statement adopted by the Executive Committee, Malta 15 -16 March 2017 Meeting in Malta during the Maltese Presidency of the European Union the European Trade Union Confederation reaffirmed its commitment that workers and citizens – in UK and the rest of the EU - must not pay the price for Brexit. Our key common priority is the defence of workers’ rights, jobs and living standards.
20.03.2017 Page

Online support for building workers

The European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) has launched a website offering details of construction workers’ wages and rights across Europe.   The site, available in all 28 EU languages, also provides trade union contacts in different countries who can help with assistance and information, indicating what languages they speak. Other useful contacts include websites of national labour inspectorates and social security systems. In the future, it will also feature an app that can be downloaded onto mobile phones.  
09.03.2017 Press release

Pittella and Visentini (ETUC): Brexit is putting the future of millions of people at risk; right to remain and work must be guaranteed

Following the meeting between the S&D President, Gianni Pittella, and the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), Luca Visentini, over the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, Pittella and Visentini jointly stated: "Brexit risks disrupting the lives of millions of citizens and workers both from the UK and EU. The House of Commons will be called upon to vote to protect the rights of 3 million EU nationals settled in Britain after Article 50 is triggered.
27.02.2017 Document

ETUC Position on the EC proposal for the revision of Regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems

Brussels 27 March 2017   To Executive Committee Members  To IRTUC  To Social Protection Committee  To Migration and Inclusion Policy Committee     
03.02.2017 Press release

EU to pay Libya to keep refugees out of Europe

Commenting on the outcome of the Valletta informal Summit, ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini said “The EU has decided to pay Libya, with a Government that controls only a part of the country, to keep refugees and migrants out of Europe. To make matters worse they are paying for this out of development funds. It would be like Trump getting Mexico to pay for the border wall, except the EU has come up with a way to do it.”