On Thursday 8 June, the Council of the EU adopted its mandate on the revised directive on the single permit, which sets out a single work and residence permit for migrant workers from third countries. The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties adopted its mandate on 23 May (see EUROPE 13148/8).
There are significant differences between the EU Council’s mandate and that of the Member States, particularly with regard to the right of holders of the single permit to remain on the territory of a Member State when they lose their job.
“In the event of loss of employment, third-country workers are authorised to remain on the territory of the Member State if the total period of unemployment does not exceed 2 months during the period of validity of a single permit”, the mandate states. The European Parliament has provided for holders of the single permit to keep it for 9 months in order to find another job.
In addition, the decision to issue a single permit must be taken within 4 months of receipt of the complete application, according to the Council of the EU. This period also covers the time needed to check the labour market situation before a decision is taken on the single permit.
The European Parliament has increased this period to 90 days, also including in this period the whole procedure (verification of conditions and requirements as well as verification of the labour market situation, recognition of qualifications and, above all, the issuing of a visa).
In order to further improve the protection of third-country workers, the Council, like the European Parliament, provides for the possibility for the holder of a single permit to change employer, subject to notification or a request to the competent authorities.
The European Parliament had also broadened the basis of the directive to cover seasonal workers or people benefiting from temporary protection, but the Council of the EU did not accept this extension.
Link to the mandate: https://aeur.eu/f/7c3 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)