EU Commission weighs aligning worker posting, social-security procedures

EU Examines Aligning Worker Posting and Social-Security Procedures Across Bloc

European Commission's Efforts to Streamline Worker Posting and Social-Security Processes

By Cian Muenster

Oct 20 (Reuters) - The European Commission is examining ways to align procedures for worker postings and social-security certificates after the European Parliament approved a new EU-wide electronic declaration system, it told Reuters on Tuesday.

Assessing the "Once-Only" Principle for Administrative Efficiency

The Commission said it was assessing how the "once-only" principle could apply to both A1 social-security certificates and the new eDeclaration system for employees temporarily posted to another EU country, potentially reducing paperwork for companies operating across the bloc.

"These two procedures could be brought closer together from both a technical and user-oriented perspective once the common eDeclaration portal for the posting of workers is in place," a Commission spokesperson said.

Administrative Burden of A1 Certificates

Employers have long complained about the administrative burden associated with A1 certificates, which show that employees working temporarily abroad remain covered by their home country's social-security system. More than 5.6 million certificates were issued across Europe in 2024.

EU Parliament Approves eDeclaration System

The European Parliament approved legislation establishing the eDeclaration system for posted workers, which will create a common EU portal and standardised form for companies to notify authorities when temporarily sending employees to another member state.

Expected Benefits and Stakeholder Opinions

Parliamentary Debate and Support

During a parliamentary debate ahead of the vote, co-rapporteur Johan Danielsson said the measure would cut red tape without weakening workers' rights.

"I believe that the new portal for e-declaration of posted workers could be the example of how simplification can be achieved without deregulation," Danielsson said.

Co-rapporteur Andreas Schwab called the proposal "a huge step towards simplification of posting of workers".

Trade Union and Industry Reactions

The European Trade Union Confederation said the final legislation strengthened protections for workers and labour inspectors.

Germany's VDMA engineering association welcomed the legislation but said it would deliver meaningful simplification only if a large number of EU countries participated.

"If only a few countries make use of the voluntary procedure, the patchwork of differing reporting requirements across Europe will persist," a VDMA spokesperson said.

Implementation Timeline and Participation

The Commission declined to estimate how many member states were likely to participate, saying countries would have to notify Brussels at least six months before joining the system.

It expects the platform to become operational in late 2027.

(Reporting by Cian Muenster; Editing by Anil D'Silva)