The Commission’s Fair Labour Mobility package aims to make it easier for workers and businesses to operate across borders by simplifying social security procedures, speeding up recognition of qualifications and strengthening enforcement cooperation. The proposals could help address labour shortages and reduce administrative burdens for SMEs, but their impact will depend on effective implementation by national authorities.
Barriers to labour mobility continue to hold back the single market. The Commission’s Fair Labour Mobility package, unveiled on 15 September, contains five legislative proposals: a regulation establishing the European Social Security Pass; the Skills Portability Act; a regulation strengthening the European Labour Authority; a directive amending the Professional Qualifications Directive; and a directive on recognising qualifications of third-country nationals. By making it easier to obtain the social security documents required for cross-border postings and faster to recognise qualifications and skills, the proposals aim to ease labour shortages in some sectors while strengthening the single market and EU competitiveness.
The ESSPASS proposal seeks to make cross-border postings easier to manage by bringing the relevant social security information into a digital record. It would draw in part on the European Digital Identity Wallet, expected by the end of 2026, and introduce a shared portal through which workers and administrations could submit declarations. It also envisages access to a European Health Insurance Card within 24 hours. Easier checks of workers’ details could help authorities and SMEs spot irregularities, while people who need them could still obtain paper documents.
Standardised digital credentials and a free EU comparison tool would help people and employers interpret qualifications across Member States. For regulated professions, the Commission proposes faster digital recognition procedures and wider use of common training frameworks. Separate rules would shorten recognition of qualifications obtained outside the EU, while preserving national control over admission and professional standards.
A proposed regulation would strengthen the European Labour Authority’s ability to coordinate enforcement across borders, giving national authorities better tools to address abuses and undeclared work.
These proposals will depend on national authorities having the resources and capacity to put them into practice and meet the proposed deadlines. They are a welcome step; their value will depend on being shaped by demand from employers and workers on the ground and frameworks tailored to real labour market needs.