After today’s employment and social policy council meeting, S&D Group vice-president Stephen Hughes and the chair of the Parliament’s employment and social affairs commitee Pervenche Berès reacted:

« The Council has again failed to make progress in its attempts to formulate a compromise to cover crucial provisions of the Enforcement Directive. This new EU law is meant to clarify the social rights of workers being posted abroad in a different EU country.

« The mandate given to the European Parliament’s negotiators by the employment committee on 20 June 2013 is clear. It stated that member states should be able to impose any administrative requirements and control measures deemed necessary for the enforcement of the Posting of Workers Directive (PWD). Therefore we must have an open list of measures to avoid unscrupulous employers exploiting workers.

« We also urge member states to introduce liability rules for direct and indirect subcontractors. We need to safeguard the rights and entitlements of workers in subcontracting chains. If this directive is to improve rather than worsen the situation, the European Parliament must stand firm on these points. »