The European Labour Authority is reportedly coveted by certain central and eastern European countries that are apparently considering applying to recover the headquarters of this future body, if several diplomatic sources consulted by EUROPE recently are to be believed.
Slovakia, Cyprus and Romania are among the member state names most regularly mentioned. Latvia was also mentioned, as well as Estonia, but they have not been confirmed. Romania is apparently the most likely member state to host the new Authority.
It is true that Slovakia, Romania and Cyprus have no European Union agency on their territory, as the Europa website listing EU agencies and bodies states. Latvia, meanwhile, has the Office of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC). Estonia meanwhile hosts the European Agency for the Operational Management of large-scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (eu-LISA).
The selection process for the headquarters has still not begun. Time is pressing, however, as the European Labour Authority should start its work – in an embryonic manner – in 2019. Its provisional headquarters would apparently be fixed in Brussels while awaiting the announcement of the location of its definitive headquarters.
The Authority's primary objective is to strengthen the implementation and respect of European legislation in the framework of the mobility of cross-border labour, and it should reach full operationality in 2024, with around 140 agents (see EUROPE 11980). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)