Fight against undeclared work: platform for exchange of best practices needed

07.05.2015 8:35

Fight against undeclared work: platform for exchange of best practices needed

Today, Members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs approved the setting-up of a European platform to enhance cooperation and exchange of best practices in the prevention and deterrence of undeclared work.

"People, who in different life situations, agree to undeclared work, are usually insufficiently aware that the long-term consequences outweigh the short-term benefits. The path to reducing undeclared work is also time-consuming because the views and tolerance towards undeclared work varies significantly between Member States", said Romana Tomc MEP, the EPP Group's Rapporteur on the topic.

The platform should be a forum made up of a representative of the European Commission and representatives of all Member States. Its objective is to improve cooperation between Member States’ enforcement authorities to prevent and deter undeclared work, improve Member States' technical capacity to tackle cross-border undeclared work, and increase public awareness through the exchange of best practices, analysis and opinions. The social partners will have observer status in this platform.

Undeclared work is a major problem in all EU Member States. The 2013 Eurobarometer survey showed that although only 4% of respondents admitted that they have engaged in undeclared work, 11% said they had paid for services and goods for which they justifiably concluded were produced through undeclared work.

The EPP Group supports cooperation between Member States and the exchange of best practices in the fight against undeclared work. It does not, however, support any attempt to attribute executive powers to this platform. Executive powers in this domain should remain in the hands of Member States’ governments. Better coordination should also improve the conditions for free movement and regular employment in cross-border situations.

The proposed platform is meant to cover all forms of undeclared work, including bogus self-employment, a type of employment used to disguise the employment of a worker in order to cut down on taxes and social security contributions.

Note to editors

The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 219 Members from 27 Member States

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