European Commission approves Fair Labour Mobility Package

The European Commission approved the Fair Labour Mobility Package on September 16, aimed at addressing workforce shortages and strengthening the enforcement of European labour market regulations. The initiative seeks to facilitate the movement of workers between EU member states to balance supply and demand through networks like EURES.

However, experts have raised concerns regarding whether this increased mobility will ensure genuine protection for workers. Wouter Zwysen, a senior researcher at the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), argues that true fair mobility should make moving between EU countries as simple as moving within a single country, with compensation based on skills and experience rather than origin.

Critics suggest that labour mobility may be used as a temporary fix for vacancies that remain unfilled due to unattractive wages or poor working conditions. There is a concern that facilitating movement might allow employers to fill gaps without being pressured to improve pay or employment terms.