The European ministers of labor and social affairs, meeting in Luxembourg, have finally agreed on a revision of the 1996 directive on posted workers.
A priority of the French presidency, placed at the heart of its reform strategy for a “Europe that protects.”
At the initiative of France, the European agreement on posted workers is a small step towards a social Europe. Against social dumping, it enshrines in the texts that for equal work, there must be equal pay. Henceforth, the maximum duration of posting will be only 12 months (Previously, there was no limit, and the Commission was asking for 24 months).
The success of the French initiative is all the more remarkable as it did not provoke the feared East-West rupture. Although Poland, Hungary (neither of which has particularly friendly governments!), Latvia, and Lithuania voted against, and Croatia abstained, we can note that the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania, Estonia, and Slovenia voted in favor.
Of course, the significance of the event must be put into perspective:
– Posted work represents only 0.4% in full-time equivalent of salaried employment in the Union, and half of posted workers come from rich countries like France and Germany.
– Most assignments do not exceed …4 months.
Furthermore, the agreement as signed has limitations:
- The directive will only be applicable in 4 years.
- It does not cover the very important transport sector*
But as it stands, this agreement can legitimately be presented by President Macron as a symbol of a Europe that protects.
by Patrick Mottard
