Trade unions give red card to the proposal for a services passport

(8 December 2016) The European Commission is to publish new proposals to continue building the EU internal market. These proposals could include a socalled Services Passport, making it supposedly easier for companies to work across borders.  Trade unions say it

  • is a support programme for undeclared work, letter box companies and social dumping, avoiding labour standards, fair pay and collective agreements;
  • undermines Commission President Juncker’s efforts to ensure equal pay for equal work through a revision of the Posted Workers Directive.

EPSU General Secretary Jan Willem Goudriaan adds "We do not need more policies to create markets and make it easier for companies to exploit workers.  We need the Commission and Member States to prioritise Social Europe above all."

The Belgian construction workers organized a demonstration to make clear to Commission and the European parliament that unions do not agree. It will be followed by discussions with Members of the European parliament. European Federations expressed their solidarity with the demo, 8 December 2016, Brussels

For the EFBWW press release on the services passport

For the ETUC statement on the services passport

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