Another inter-institutional negotiating session (trialogue) will be held on Wednesday 28 February on the posted workers directive. Some quarters are hoping that a global agreement will be achieved. Expectations in Parliament are less ambitious.
It should be recalled that the provisional agreements reached on remuneration, the single official national site relating to the elements of posted workers' remuneration, collective agreements, compensation for posted workers, temporary worker postings and the provisional agreements have already been reported on in this publication (see EUROPE 11964, 11957).
Discussions between the Commission and the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU have made progress and decisive steps have been taken ahead of the trialogue. This has led some to believe that there is some hope of obtaining an overall agreement. in Parliament, however, they are not getting their hopes up as much and highlight the fact that many dossiers are still pending.
There are many of these because the negotiators still have to examine the extension of the legal basis, the lex specialis on international road transport, the period for transposing the directive and long-term postings.
As we go to press, the negotiations are only just beginning and are expected to continue until midnight. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)