WIREDGOV

The staff and resources needed for labour inspections in the member states should be beefed up in order to tackle undeclared work, bogus self-employment and social dumping, say MEPs in a non-binding resolution adopted on Tuesday.

"National labour inspections play an important role in implementing social legislation and guaranteeing a fair playing field in the EU. Tackling undeclared work, which represents 18.8% of EU GDP, could increase tax revenues and national security contributions. Labour inspections suffer a lack of staff and are hampered in their efforts of cross-border cooperation," said the rapporteur, Jutta Steinruck (S&D, DE).

Enhancing cross-border cooperation

MEPS call for the creation of a European platform for labour inspectors monitoring undeclared work to strengthen cross-border cooperation and to identify and keep a record of letter-box companies and similar operations.

They also ask the Commission to consider introducing a European social security card or other EU-wide document, subject to strict data-protection rules, to make it easier to exchange data and to carry-out a pilot project for a European early-warning system on undeclared work.

New EU measures to tackle social dumping are needed, the resolution also stresses. .

Social protection

Another non-binding resolution, calling for adequate social protection for the growing numbers of self-employed workers in the EU and better coordination between EU countries of their social security schemes was approved by adopted by 587 votes to 65, with 39 abstentions.