Trade unions (EFBWW) and employers (FIEC) in the construction sector are calling on the European Commission, among other things, to quickly address the issue of the introduction of a European Social Security Number (ESSN) to effectively combat undeclared work, in a joint statement issued on Thursday 24 September.
At a high-level conference held on the same day, the social partners stressed the importance of digital technology to combat this phenomenon, which is constantly growing in the construction sector (around 20% of all activities in the whole sector) and which involves increasingly complex arrangements.
The European Commission was therefore asked to improve the European Exchange of Social Security Information (EESI), but also to examine possible options with regard to the establishment of an EU Company Register (linking national company registers) and the creation of a single European Social Security Number (ESSN).
DG EMPL is currently conducting an internal analysis on the subject exploring different solutions based on national examples. Some trade unions assert that the ESSN should be based on two pillars, a European social security number (which would therefore be digital) and a personal work card (which would be physical).
The idea of an ESSN is not new and was expected under the previous Commission (see EUROPE 11913/18), but it was never developed by that Commission due to legal problems. The new Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, for his part, has reiterated his willingness to take up the subject (see EUROPE 12510/5 and his interview with EUROPE 12428/1).
Responding to a question from EUROPE, the Director General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), Jordi Curell, speaking at the conference, confirmed the Commission’s willingness to make progress on the subject, without committing to the 2021 work programme.
During a debate in the European Parliament in June, a senior Commission official indicated that the number might initially apply only to mobile workers (around 17 million workers) (see EUROPE 12507/22).
Other recommendations
Among their recommendations, the social partners consider that the fight against undeclared work will also be achieved by changing the behaviour of “customers”, in particular public authorities. They therefore propose that price alone should no longer be the sole criterion for awarding contracts in public procurement; instead, the principle of best value for money should be applied. The aim is to put an end to the race to the lowest bidder, which encourages the use of undeclared work and fraud.
To consult the 10 recommendations: https://bit.ly/3kLlcrj (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)