EU Commission sues 17 member states over delayed single‑permit transposition

The European Commission has opened legal proceedings against 17 EU member states for failing to fully transpose the revised Single Permit Directive by the May 21 2026 deadline. The states – Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, France, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Finland and Sweden – were sent formal notices and have two months to respond, after which the case could be referred to the EU Court of Justice.

The directive, first adopted in 2011 and updated in 2024, creates a combined work‑and‑residence permit for third‑country nationals, allowing them to change jobs or employers without losing their status, to apply from a third country or within the EU, and shortens the decision deadline to 90 days. In 2024, more than 4.6 million non‑EU citizens obtained a single permit. Holders who lose a job can stay three to six months while seeking new employment. Denmark and Ireland are exempt from the policy. Trade union leader Isabelle Barthès warned that the low transposition rate risks exploitation of foreign workers.