Bratislava, 14/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 14 and Friday 15 July, Employment and Social Affairs Ministers met up in Bratislava to discuss recent developments in the world of work. At an unofficial level, certain delegations appear to have attempted to find support in resolving the sensitive issue of posted workers.
On 20 July, the European Commissioner, Marianne Thyssen, is expected to announce her intention to maintain the draft of the targeted revision of the directive on posted workers. This proposal introduces the principle of equal pay for equal work whichever member state the worker is sent to. Up until now it has been under threat by 11 national parliaments that have triggered the so-called "yellow card" procedure. These parliaments are in the following countries: Hungary, Estonia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Romania. Unsurprisingly, these delegations were quite reluctant to talk to EUROPE about this issue. Although one source informed us that the subject had not been tackled, another, however, said that informal discussions had taken place in the corridors of the Reduta Philharmonic. Each country is obviously defending its interests: Eastern European countries oppose stricter rules that could hamper free movement, whilst Western European countries emphasise the consequences of cheap labour and social dumping.
For the remainder, Employment and Social Affairs Ministers did indeed discuss the labour market developments caused by the ageing population, digitalisation and migration. During its first discussion, the Slovak Presidency effectively invited the EU 27 to look at the different phenomena in its overall context and transform them into opportunities. It pointed out that in 2060, Europe would have two workers for each pensioner, as opposed to four workers for each pensioner as is currently the case. Member states then highlighted the initiatives introduced on their respective territories in these different areas. The German Secretary of State, Thorben Albrecht, presented the main guidelines of the future German white paper on the future of work, which will be presented at the end of the year. Less expected was the call by the Director of the Slovak Centre for Social and Psychological Sciences, Martina Lubyova, who called on the European Union to introduce rules that were as binding in the social field as they were in the taxation arena. (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)