Soon, self-employed drivers will not have to submit an electronic declaration known as Limosa. Belgian carriers criticize the government’s decision.
Following criticism from the European Commission regarding the general obligation to report posting by self-employed entrepreneurs, the Belgian government decided to lift this requirement for most sectors. At the end of October, without waiting for the opinion of the National Labor Council, the government identified “risk sectors for the Limosa declaration”. The Belgian authorities have recognized that this obligation will affect only three professional groups: constructions workers, meat processing workers and cleaning staff. All the others – including truck drivers – will no longer have to submit the Limosa delegation.
Belgian carriers criticize the government’s decision
The Belgian association of carriers FGTB-UBT strongly criticizes the abolition of the above obligation for the workers of the transport industry.
This is an incentive for the development of social dumping on our roads and a slap in the face for all Belgian truckers and companies that comply with the regulations,” says Frank Moreels, president of FGTB-UBT.
According to Moreels, failure to include transport in the Limosa declaration is a signal that the government does not take the fight against social dumping seriously. However, recently the judicial system has initiated an investigation into the unfair practices of Belgian transport companies. Logistics operators would set up letterbox companies in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, where they hired drivers who later operated in Belgium. This seems to be a more serious problem in the context of unfair competition on the transport market, than one-person transport companies.
The exemption from submitting Limosa declaration for self-employed drivers will most likely be valid starting next year.
Photo: Wikimedia/M.Minderhoud CCA-SA 3.0
