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EU digital identity and labor mobility initiatives

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2026-09-17 18:22 UTC → 2026-09-23 10:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The European Commission has introduced the Fair Labour Mobility Package, a set of five legislative proposals designed to facilitate cross-border employment and strengthen social rights within the EU. A central component of this initiative is the creation of the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS). This digital tool will allow workers to access and present social security and health insurance documents, such as the European Health Insurance Card and A1 forms, via a digital identity wallet. To reduce administrative hurdles, the package proposes standardizing professional qualifications in digital formats. For regulated professions—including doctors, nurses, engineers, and teachers—the recognition process is intended to be completed digitally within five weeks. For qualifications obtained outside the EU, the process could be reduced from an average of 14 months to just four months. Additionally, the measures include strengthening the European Labour Authority to better combat fraud and abuse. On September 16, the European Commission approved the package, which aims to address workforce shortages and balance supply and demand through networks like EURES. However, the approval has met with criticism from experts. 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 rather than origin. Critics also expressed concern that facilitating mobility might serve as a temporary fix for vacancies caused by unattractive wages, potentially allowing employers to fill gaps without improving employment terms. Economic projections suggest the package could generate 6 billion euros in benefits by 2040. Implementation of digital signatures is estimated to prevent up to 277 million euros in fraudulent activities. Following the approval, the Commission has identified physiotherapists as a top priority profession for the streamlined recognition process.

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