EU Posting of Workers proposals could create more confusion for businesses and workers

European Conservatives and Reformists group employment spokesman Anthea McIntyre has argued that revisiting the Posting of Workers directive is a mistake that risks adding more uncertainty and red tape to businesses.

European Conservatives and Reformists group employment spokesman Anthea McIntyre has argued that revisiting the Posting of Workers directive is a mistake that risks adding more uncertainty and red tape to businesses.

The European Commission has today published proposals for a targeted revision of the Posting of Workers directive. It says that EU workers who are posted to another EU nation for up to two years should be entitled to minimum pay rates in the country where they are sent.

Responding to the proposal as published, Miss McIntyre said:

“We talk about better regulation but then steam ahead with a revision of the Posting of Workers directive before we’ve even implemented the last law, which itself was meant to implement the law before that!

“The European Commission has aimed for a targeted revision of the directive, which is a preferable option, but it is still far too premature to be legislating in the dark. We must be very careful not to cause unintended consequences by the European Commission pushing forward a political agenda to create ‘equal pay for equal work in the same place.’ This proposal is so broadly worded in places that it leaves it open to much interpretation, that may then have to be interpreted by the courts.

“I believe the common sense approach would have been to wait for the latest update in the law to be implemented before rushing ahead with a new proposal that could add far more uncertainty and red tape onto businesses.”