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Europe – Platform proposed to fight against undeclared and informal work

17 October 2014

The Employment, Social Policy, Health, and Consumer Affairs Council met yesterday to discuss a number of topics, including undeclared work. As a result, the Council will finalise a proposal to create a stakeholder platform to exchange best practices and lessons learned in the fight against undeclared and informal work.

Denis Pennel, Managing Director of the European Confederation of Private Employment Agencies (Eurociett), commented: "Eurociett is eager to represent the employment and recruitment industry at the proposed Platform to improve prevention and deterrence of undeclared work. Those markets with a well-developed agency work sector have the lowest levels of undeclared work and high levels of labour market participation.”

“It is essential that people and businesses have the possibility to easily and safely engage in a formal employment relationship. This means better social protection for workers and more security for companies. Agency work balances the need for security and flexibility, and can thereby facilitate transitions from informal to formal work," he said.

Another topic to be discussed at the council meeting was a mid-term review of the Europe 2020 programme to create growth and jobs in Europe. The programme started in 2010 and is meant to revive Europe after the crisis, and to create a meaningful infrastructure for economic growth.

Mr Pennel added: “In a time of low economic growth, it is important to address imperfections in the labour market. The employment and recruitment industry does this by matching supply and demand. This is crucial for job growth. Also, workers need support in moving from one job to another and this includes training to acquire the skills they will need to take up the jobs available. Our industry trains more than one million people every year and is ideally placed to address the skills gap and get people back to work."