Commission welcomes the Council's endorsement of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its general approach to reform the Posting of Workers Directive

Commission welcomes the Council's endorsement of the European Pillar of Social Rights and its general approach to reform the Posting of Workers Directive

At the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of 23 October in Luxembourg, EU Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs expressed their unanimous endorsement of the European Pillar of Social Rights,

The Pillar will be proclaimed by the Parliament, the Council and the Commission at the Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth, taking place on 17 November in Gothenburg.

The Council also agreed on a general approach regarding the Commission's proposal to revise the rules on the posting of workers.

The political agreement on the posting of workers confirms the Commission's key principle of equal pay for equal work at the same place, setting out that posted workers will generally benefit from the same rules governing pay and working conditions as local workers.

Last week's agreement in the European Parliament's Employment Committee and today's agreement in the Council confirm the strong political commitment from all actors to make our internal labour market fairer and its rules easier to enforce.

Background

A first outline of the Pillar of Social Rights was presented on 8 March 2016, followed by a broad consultation of Member States, EU institutions, social partners, civil society and citizens.

On 26 April 2017 the Commission presented a final text, which contains 20 principles and rights to support fair and well-functioning labour markets and welfare systems, serving as a compass for a renewed process of convergence towards better working and living conditions among EU Member States.

The Commission put forward a formal proposal to amend the 1996 Posted Workers Directive on 8 March 2016. It complements the 2014 Enforcement Directive on Posted Workers, which introduces new instruments to fight fraud and abuse and to improve administrative cooperation between national authorities in charge of posting.

In 2018 the Commission will launch a European Labour Authority with the aim of strengthening cooperation between labour market authorities at all levels and better manage cross-border situations.

The Commission will also propose other initiatives in support of fair mobility, including a European Social Security Number, to make social security rights more visible and (digitally) accessible.