Labour mobility

Freedom of movement for people within the EU is one of the four fundamental freedoms on which the Union is built. But fair and efficient labour mobility depends on workers having the same rights in all Member States. Workers and their families should have access to social protection and unemployment benefits, healthcare, education, pensions, and to be covered by local trade union collective agreements on pay and working conditions.

Over 11.3 million people of working age live in a different EU country to the one where they have citizenship. Furthermore, some 1.3 million ‘frontier workers’ travel across EU borders to their place of work. The European Commission’s so-called ‘Mobility Package’ published in December 2016 failed to deal comprehensively with the many problems faced by mobile workers, and the ETUC continues to campaign for the rights of mobile workers and their families.

15.05.2023 Circular

Call to Action : Workers’ protection fundamental to EU-Switzerland relations

Brussels, 15 May 2023 To the Members of the Committee on International Trade of the European Parliament Honourable Members of the European Parliament,
24.04.2023 Circular

Call to Action : Workers’ protection fundamental to EU-Switzerland relations

Brussels, 24 April 2023 To the Members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament Honourable Members of the European Parliament,
21.11.2022 Publication

Guide for Mobile Workers in Europe (2022)

The Guide for Mobile Workers in Europe is issued by the European Trade-Union Confederation (ETUC). The ETUC coordinates 46 Interregional Trade-Union Councils (IRTUC). The IRTUCs are associations of the regional trade union organisations in the many border areas to support local, often cross-border mobile workers in defending and pursuing their social and economic interests.
15.11.2022 Document

Adopted Position / ETUC Position on the European Commission ‘Skills and Talent Package’

ETUC Position on the European Commission ‘Skills and Talent Package’ Adopted at the ETUC Executive Committee of 27-28 October 2022 Background
23.11.2021 Page

EURES

The ETUC secretariat is coordinating the participation of the trade union organisations in the EURES network. It is mostly through the Interregional Trade Union Councils (IRTUCs), at regional/interregional levels, who are participating in the EURES Cross Border Partnerships.
15.11.2021 Page

IRTUCs

The Inter-Regional Trade Union Councils (IRTUCs) bring together the regional trade union organisations of national ETUC-affiliated confederations in cross-border regions. There are 46 IRTUCs, ranging from the northern tip of Sweden to southern Spain, from Ireland in the west to Hungary in the east. The relevant national federations and the ETUC Secretariat work together to set up an IRTUC, which can form its own working groups to examine specific local issues. The ETUC also convenes the IRTUCs Coordinating Committee, which meets twice a year. 
30.03.2021 Document

ETUC Resolution on Fair Labour Mobility and Migration

Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 22 March 2021 I. Setting the scene: why both labour mobility and migration should be fair
26.03.2020 Publication

COVID-19 Watch // ETUC Briefing notes

The ETUC launches a series of ‘COVID-19 Watch’ briefing notes. They focus on developments providing critical information on the impacts of COVID-19 on labour markets, workers and citizens across Europe. These Briefing Notes are produced by the ETUC with the support of the ETUI and ETUC affiliated organisations. While every effort has been made to make them accurate at the date of publication, new agreements and measures are being announced daily. The current briefings will be updated periodically, and new ones produced on other topics.
18.10.2019 Document

Statement on the Revision of the Regulations on the coordination of social security systems

The ETUC has been calling for improvements of the rules on the coordination of social security systems for years. We need improvements to the current rules to better fight against abuses and fraud and to strengthen mobile workers’, posted workers’ and frontier workers’ rights, as well as to improve and operationalise the cooperation between Member States. Now it is possible to deliver much needed improvements to the legal framework by completing in a positive manner the negotiations on the revision of the Regulations on the coordination of social security systems.
17.07.2019 Publication

Map of the Interregional Trade Union Councils 2019
09.02.2019 Page

German and Hungarian trade unions unite for fair mobility

The ETUC’s German affiliate the DGB has got together with Hungarian trade unions to approve a declaration to ensure quality work and fair mobility. The principal aim of the statement is to raise the minimum wage so as to prevent poverty in the EU.  No full-time salary should be below the national poverty line. Working people should not be expected merely to survive on their wages, they should be able to live in dignity. The signing ceremony was hosted by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in Budapest, and attended by DGB board member Stefan Körzell.
06.12.2018 Document

European Labour Authority one step closer

EU Employment Ministers today agreed a ‘general approach’ on the Regulation establishing a European Labour Authority (ELA). This now means the final regulation to set up the Authority will be negotiated in trialogue discussions between national government officials, MEPs and the European Commission.
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.
01.06.2018 Page

Denmark and Romania unite to stop social dumping

A new bilateral agreement between Denmark and Romania on the provision of services and the posting of workers constitutes an important win for Danish trade unions – the culmination of efforts to improve collaboration with Romanian officials to combat social dumping.
30.04.2018 Document

ETUC Position: For A Strong European Labour Authority

ETUC Position: For A Strong European Labour Authority Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 12 April 2018     Key messages:
21.12.2017 Document

ETUC Position on a European Labour Authority - ensuring fairness for workers in the single market

ETUC Position on a European Labour Authority - ensuring fairness for workers in the single market Adopted at the Executive Committee Meeting of 13-14 December 2017 Key messages:
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.
20.03.2017 Page

Guiding Polish truckers in the right direction

A growing number of Polish drivers are working in Belgium, sometimes on Belgian work contracts, and joining local trade unions. The Belgian Union of Transport (UBT) has set up a special info-point to support them.   The service offers information on a wide range of issues including social security, tax, unemployment benefits, and bankruptcy – and helps to counter social dumping by checking drivers are getting the same pay as Belgian colleagues.  
13.12.2016 Press release

ETUC on labour mobility package

The Labour Mobility Package for the coordination of social security for workers who take up free movement within the EU, is a complex and highly technical legal package which offers some improvements, but does not deal with all the disadvantages faced by mobile workers says the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Proposals that mark an improvement include
28.10.2016 Document

The ETUC supports the right to remain for EU citizens living and working in the UK, and UK citizens living and working in the rest of the EU

The ETUC supports the right to remain for EU citizens living and working in the UK, and UK citizens living and working in the rest of the EU Statement adopted by the Executive Committee on 26-27 October 2016
26.07.2016 Press release

Meeting with President Juncker

Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation today met Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission. Key political issues discussed included Brexit, Turkey and the future of Europe. After the constructive meeting Luca Visentini said:
04.07.2016 Press release

Letterbox-type practices: avoiding taxes and exploiting workers across the EU

Further to specific developments in the case of Vos Transport in the period between the end of SOMO's research and the publication of the report, SOMO has published the following annex providing an update including a recent case ruling, reference to the Dutch Labour Inspection report and Vos reply  
20.02.2016 Press release

ETUC comment on UK deal

Commenting on the UK deal, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation said  "Cameron had succeeded in exempting the UK from important duties of EU membership." "The EU must ensure that none of the exceptions and restrictions apply to other member states.  
10.11.2015 Press release

UK EU renegotiation cannot touch freedom of movement

The freedom of movement of workers and equal pay for equal work are fundamental rights and European principles which cannot be negotiated away said the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). Responding to Prime Minister Cameron's long-awaited EU reform demands, Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the ETUC warned "European trade unions  will call on their Governments and the European institutions to refuse to open negotiations on any change that would undermine freedom of movement of workers, and equal pay for equal work."
11.09.2015 Press release

EU has to act together, show compassion and agree asylum policy

Justice and Home Affairs Ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday must show that EU Governments are capable of acting together, decisively and with compassion towards refugees. “EU Governments have got to respond positively to President Juncker’s proposals to tackle the humanitarian emergency on our borders” said Bernadette Ségol, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation. “The inability of European Governments to act together so far on the refugee crisis is an international embarrassment for the EU and its citizens.”