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Belgium - High Council of Employment calls for assessment of the bans on temporary agency work

01 December 2015

The High Council of Employment has requested a reassessment of the restrictions on temporary agency work, according to the Federgon, the Belgian staffing association.

Last September, the High Council of Employment published its 2015 Report, which shows the latest developments and prospects of the labour market. The report highlights the growing importance of temporary work as a tool for a flexible workforce.

According to Federgon, Belgium, along with Greece, remains the only country in Europe where there are rules prohibiting the use of temporary work in public services. The rules include the prohibition of the use temporary agency work in the field of inland water transport and removals; and include restrictions in the construction industry: employers in the construction industry can only use agency workers in order to replace a worker on sick leave or in case of temporary rise in activity.

Federgon claims that agency work can play an important role in the public sector and other sectors unfairly affected by these prohibitions and restrictions.  Furthermore the staffing association argues that these restrictions are incompatible with the European Directive 2008/104 / EC on temporary agency work and they are calling for an assessment of this incompatibility.