Tackling fraudulent contracting of work in EU: Challenges and responses

Eurofound Working Lunch Debate with Members of the European Parliament and European Social Partners - Hosted by MEP Georgi Pirinski, of the EP EMPL Committee

The current discussions on the Posting of Workers Directive, the Transport Mobility package and actions, initiatives from the EU Platform tackling Undeclared Work, show an increased concerns of EU and national policy makers about fraudulent employment practices. Violations of the basic protection provided by Labour law and collective bargaining regulations, affects workers’ rights and working conditions, but also business competition, labour market integration, and social security benefits. Overall, fraudulent forms of contracting work jeopardise social cohesion.

• EUR-Lex: Posting of Workers Directive

• European Commission: Europe on the Move: Commission launches new mobility package

• European Commission: European Platform tackling undeclared work

Objectives

Eurofound’s research aims to provide in-depth knowledge on fraudulent contracting of work practices and their impact on workers and businesses. It explores policy measures initiated by national authorities and social partners to identify, prevent and combat such practices.

The objective of the debate is to put forward ideas for further research, initiatives and policy developments in the field.

Agenda

The discussion will be mainly based on Eurofound research on fraudulent contracting of work practices and recent findings related to the situation in Construction, Industrial Cleaning and Road Haulage sectors (forthcoming) - across at least three of the following countries: Austria, Finland, France, Poland and Spain.

MEP Georgi Pirinski and Juan Menéndez-Valdés, Director of Eurofound, will chair the working lunch. Two Eurofound colleagues, Barbara Gerstenberger and Isabella Biletta, will present Eurofound’s research on the topic, highlighting the recent findings related to fraudulent contracting in Cleaning, Construction and Road transport. Lambert Kleinmann, Responsible for the EU Platform Tackling Undeclared Work, European Commission, will comment on Eurofound research, and will convey the message of the EU Platform tackling Undeclared Work Co-chairs Yves Calvez and Renārs Lūsis.

Participation is by invitation only.