The European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs voted to amend the regulation on the coordination of social security. In other words – MEPs approved the proposals for changes in the provisions concerning, among others social insurance for employees in the European Union. Although the matter is not yet finally settled, the majority of the committee members voted for a solution that is unfavorable from the point of view of the Eastern European transport industry.
If the position of the Employment Committee is confirmed in the plenary session of the entire European Parliament, it will become its official position in talks with the European Council and the European Commission. It is during the negotiations between these institutions that the final decision will be made.
The discussions concern among others the issue of where social security contributions for highly mobile employees are to be paid. And this group includes drivers working in international transport.
Drivers’ insurance premiums paid not necessarily in the employer’s country
At the last meeting of the Employment Committee, MEPs approved the amendment by Guillaume Balas from the S&D faction. It assumes that social insurance contributions are to be paid in the country where the employee performs the largest part of the work, and not in the country where the employer is based.
Social Europe cannot be achieved without real social protection for everyone, and this will require tangible improvements in social rights and stronger rules for combating fraud at the expense of European workers,” Balas argued.
In the case of posted workers, the issue of cooperation between the Member States was also discussed when exchanging information related to the exclusion of any social abuse by employers, e.g. the so-called „letterbox companies” where the employee’s place of residence cannot be established.
The text of the amendment was adopted with 29 votes in favor, 19 against and 5 abstentions.
Carriers are not delighted
Less favorable solutions for companies and posted employees were adopted. The period during which contributions are paid in the sending country (that is, in the case of Polish employees posted in Poland (Article 12) has been shortened from 24 to 18 months,” commented MEP from Poland Danuta Jazłowiecka, on her social media profile.
The decision of the Employment Committee was also made by representatives of the Polish transport industry. „Another issue that interests us is the requirement to insure an employee in the sending country for a period of at least 3 months before sending him abroad. Is Polish transport ready for this change? And will it survive?” asks Transport and Logistics Poland.
The answer to this question can be somewhat pessimistic. Therefore, all our hope is only to challenge the Commission’s report by the European Parliament. If it fails, the adopted document will be the basis for negotiations with the Council of the European Union” comments TLP on its facebook profile.
Photo: Twitter/Morin-Chartier