Temporary employment abroad limited to 12 months

Soon, European workers who go to work abroad temporarily will only be allowed to work in the host country for a maximum of 12 months. If necessary, this period can be extended to 18 months. “By making the abuse of ‘temporary’ secondment impossible, Europe is taking a new step in the fight against social dumping,” says MEP Helga Stevens. The N-VA has already been urging a shortening of the secondment period for ages.

“Equal pay for equal work in the same place: that’s a core principle for us,” Helga Stevens says. The European Council is now also backing it. However, to stop unfair competition, we must shut all backdoors.”

Shutting the backdoors

From now on, the pay conditions of the host country will apply as from day one. That’s a good thing. It’s just a shame that the social contributions still have to be paid in the country of origin. Some of the jobs created by this federal government are currently being filled by foreign workers who do not pay any social contributions here. This is unfair to our Flemish construction workers who do pay their contributions in all honesty and good faith.

Level playing field required

There are also possibilities for improvement in the transport sector. That sector was kept out of this agreement, but we mustn’t accept social dumping in that sector either. If Flanders wants to be the logistics hub of Europe, we can’t afford to lose low-skilled jobs to Eastern Europe any longer. A level playing field is required.