On Tuesday 13 March, the European Commission proposed a series of recommendations to ensure access to quality social protection for workers in atypical or independent jobs. These recommendations will soon be submitted to the Council of the European Union. Presented at a plenary session of the European Parliament on the presentation of the “Social Justice” package, their main purpose is to support the evolution of the labor market and to give platform employees better protection against the vagaries of life.
Great social time for the European Commission! Following the announcement of the creation of a European Labor Agency, Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Social Affairs, presented to the Parliament on 13 March a series of recommendations for better protection of workers in self-employment or atypical jobs.
Recalling that all workers, both salaried and non-salaried, must be affiliated to social security systems, Mrs Thyssen is putting forward ways to ensure better portability of rights. To this end, it calls for workers to have a better knowledge of their rights and obligations in the field of social security. Comprehensive and compulsory coverage of social protection must apply to all employees regardless of their contractual relationship. Except from unemployment benefits, which remain at the discretion of the Member States, all social benefits (maternity and paternity benefits, old age, invalidity, sickness and work accident) must be guaranteed to all workers.
The Commission services estimate that 40% of EU employees are in some form of atypical or unconventional employment. By urging the Member States to ensure better access to social protection, the Commission mainly wants to avoid a form of competition between the different social protection systems. It is also about defending the principle of quality coverage for employees who are particularly exposed to economic uncertainty and less protection from social risks.
In terms of implementation, the Commission is giving Member States 18 months to provide reliable data on the status of workers (employed or self-employed). On this basis, the Commission is committed to establishing a frame of reference and developing indicators to monitor the implementation of its recommendations. It also grants itself the right to intervene by submitting the adoption of legislative texts on the subject.
As a late but salutary awakening, many observers regret that the European executive has been slow to legislate in the social field. These draft recommendations are in line with the European Socle of Social Rights, adopted last November at the Goteborg Summit.

Although daring, this Socle – to which IPSE has contributed – is nevertheless a non-binding device, the adoption of which is subject to the good will of the Member States. Despite real progress, the Junker Commission, whose mandate expires in one year, will have been slow in contributing to a social Europe.
On the topic of the creation of the European Labor Agency, we send our dear readers to an article by Jean-Pierre Bobichon, founding member of the Ipse which is available on the member area of ​​our site.

http://www.euroipse.org/quelle-ambition-pour-lautorite-europeenne-du-travail/