Brussels, 16/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 15 January, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament entered fully into the interinstitutional negotiations on the proposal on implementing the posted workers directive (96/71/EC). The discussions only focused on the articles on which there is consensus but the more sensitive points will be addressed over the next three weeks.
The initial technical negotiations focused on four articles: - the subject of the directive (art. 1), the definitions (art. 2); the liaison offices (art. 4); and access to information (art. 5). “This discussion was dynamic” and permitted consensus on access to information and the creation of a single official national website, Danuta Jazlowiecka (EPP, Poland), the European Parliament's rapporteur, told EUROPE. However, “the real test” for the negotiations will begin next week, in Jazlowiecka's opinion, with a discussion that will focus on Article 3, which deals with factual elements characterising posting. The issue of specific measures to guarantee the respect of employment conditions by sub-contractors, as well as the respect of national control measures and administrative demands - measures which have caused the most difficulty at the Council (see EUROPE 10980) and also at the Parliament - will be dealt with in the next three weeks. (JK/transl.fl)