During today's meeting Cllr Kieran McCarthy, EA coordinator for SEDEC Commission participated in the debate on Employment and Social Policies in the context of Labour Mobility. Free movement for workers is not only an essential element of the EU's Single Market, but an asset to all EU countries.
He argued that the low degree of labour mobility between EU countries compared with the US can be linked to language and cultural barriers, as well as differences in labour market, fiscal and social welfare policies. He asked the European Commission to further modernise the tools related to job matching tools, namely the EURES system, public employment service reforms and foster better and speedier recognition of qualifications, portability of welfare rights, access to regulated professions.
Mr McCarthy also welcomed the European Commission announcement of the adoption of a Labour Mobility Package, scheduled for the end of the year. The package will aim at supporting labour mobility and tackling abuse by means of better coordination of social security systems, the targeted review of the Posting of Workers Directive and an enhanced EURES.
