24.2.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC49/41
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveconcerningthepostingofworkersinthe
frameworkoftheprovisionofservices
(92/C49/12
On19August1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle57,§2,oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforSocial,Family,EducationalandCulturalAffairs,whichwasresponsiblefor
preparingtheCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon12December1991.
TheRapporteurwasMrPearson.
Atits292ndplenarysession(meetingof18December1991)theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyamajorityvoteinfavourandtwovotes
against.
1.Generalcomments
1.1.Thecompletionoftheinternalmarketisencour­
aging'multipleinternational'contractingandwithit
the'temporaryexpatriation '(posting)ofworkers.The
Committeeconsidersthatthematterneedsregulating
inoneformoranotherattrans-national EClevel.
Indeed,ithaspreviouslyexpressedtheviewthatexist­
ingsociallegislationandcollectiveagreementsinMem­
berStatesshould,whereappropriate,equallycover
transnationalsubcontractedconditionsofemployment .
1.2.TheCommitteehadidentifiedproblemsarising
fromalackofclarityonthepartoftheCommission
inidentifyingthefundamentalaimofthedraftDirec­
tive.ThedraftDirectiveisstatedtobeaimedatpromot­
ingaclimateoffaircompetition .Itsmainsubstantive
clausesare,however,relatedtoworkerprotection.
WhilstseeingtheneedforaDirective,andapproving
thethrustoftheproposals,theCommitteeseescon­
siderabledifficultyinimplementation ,duetoitspracti­
calandlegalshortcomings andconsiderableamend­
mentsarerecommended ,assetoutinpoint2below.tition,suchasthehighertechnicalcapacityinmore
developedMemberStates,shouldbegivengreatercon­
siderationinthiscontext.
1.5.TheCommitteeisclearthattheproposalsare
notintendedtocaterforanemployeewhoretainsfull
remunerationentitlementsathomeandwhoisbeing
paidanadequatelivingawayfromhomeallowancein
thehostcountry.
2.Specificcomments
2.1.Legalbasis
2.1.1.TheCommissioninvokesArticles57(2)and
66oftheTreaty,aswellasreferringtoArticle3c.
2.1.2.TheCommitteeisconcernedthat,becausethe
draftDirectivedoesnothaveacoherentaim,inthatit
isbasedonfreedomtoprovideservicesandelimination
ofunfaircompetitionandalsocontainsmanypro­
visionsrelativetoworkerprotection,thelegalbasis
appearstobeinsomedoubt.AsArticle57(2)provides
fortheself-employed ,theCommitteebelievesthatits
useisnotappropriate .TheCommitteewouldurge
theCounciltofurtherconsidertherelevantArticles,
includingArticle100A,inordertoarriveataless
confusingbasisforthedraftDirective.Combinedwith
Article66,however,bothelementscouldbecatered
for.
2.2.Article1
2.2.1.AsthebasisoftheDirectiveis'undertakings',
theCommitteebelievesthatadefinitionwithinthe
textofthecurrentdraftDirectiveisnecessary.Witha
definition,thekindofactivitiescoveredbythedraft
Directivewouldbeclarified.
2.3.Article2
2.3.1.Article2b,asdrafted,raisesaproblemin
atleasttwoMemberStateswherethereisnolegal
employmentrelationshipbetweentemporaryemploy­
mentagenciesandworkers.1.3.TheCommitteebelievesthattheCommission
shouldhavegivenmorespecificencouragement tothe
ratificationbyallMemberStatesofthe1980Rome
Convention .Atthesametimeitisrecognizedthatthe
proposedDirective,bylayingdownspecificmandatory
rulesfortheapplicationofnationallegislationand
practicesintheMemberStates,shouldprovideamore
comprehensive basisforimplementation .Itisaccepted
thatnationallegislationinthehostMemberState,
subjecttotheruleslaiddownbytheEuropeanCourt
ofJustice,willbepre-eminent .Itisthedetailsofthe
proposalwhichtheCommitteefindsdifficult,assetout
undertheheadingof'SpecificComments'below.
1.4.Payandconditionsofemploymentareonlytwo
elementsofcompetition .Otherfactorsaffectingcompe­

NoC49/42 24.2.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities
2.4.3.Article3.2
2.4.3.1.Article3.2containsathresholdofthree
months,withinoneyear,perpostingperworker,
includingtimespentbyallpreviousholdersofthat
particularpost.TheCommitteequestionsthewisdom
ofathreshold,andrecommendsthatineverycase
emphasisshouldbelaidonpreventionofabuse,particu­
larlywithlabour-onlycontracts.Thereisaneedto
ensurethattheDirectivecannotbecircumvented by
rotatingworkersinapost.Itshouldalsobeopento
MemberStatestoderogatefromathreshold.
2.5.Implementation oftheDirective
2.5.1.GiventhattheremustbeatleasttwoMember
StatesinvolvedinsituationscoveredbythedraftDirec­
tive,itisimportanttoknowhowitistobe
implemented .
2.5.2.TheCommitteeisconcernedthatthereareno
proceduresforimplementation laiddown.Inthelight
ofthetermsoftheRomeConvention,provisionshould
bemadeforimplementation andmonitoringprocedures
fortheproposedDirectiveandmeansofredressfor
employees,wherethestandardslaiddownintheDirec­
tivearenotcompliedwith.
2.6.ReviewotherDirectives
2.6.1.TheCommitteerecommendsthattheDirec­
tivesonemployer'sinsolvency (2)andcollectiveredun­
dancies(3)shouldbereviewed(thelatterDirectivebeing
atpresentunderreview),andrevised,ifnecessary,to
takeaccountofanemployerbecominginsolvent,who
hadworkerspostedabroad.
2.7.Socialresponsibility
2.7.1.InrespectofthelistinArticle3.1(b),there
should,possibly,beadualresponsibility onthe
employeroftheworkersandtheprincipaltowhomthe
employeriscontracted,perhapsbytheinclusionofa
socialclauseinthecontracts .2.3.2.TheCommittee isconcernedthatthedraft
Directiveshoulddistinguishquiteclearlybetweencon­
tractsinvolvingonlythesupplyoflabourandthose
involvingthesupplyofservices,includinglabour,as
thereisagreaterpossibilityofabuseinthecaseof
laboursupplyonlyacrossborders.
2.3.3.Article2cmightalsobeclarifiedasfollows:
'placesaworkerwithoneofitsestablishments ,or
withanotherundertakinglocatedinaMember
State,forthepurposeofprovidingservices,insofar
asthereisanemploymentrelationshipbetween
theformerundertakingandtheworkerduringthe
periodofposting.Placementsofworkersfortrain­
ingpurposesonlyshallnotbeincludedwithinthe
scopeofArticle2.'
2.4.Article3
2.4.1.Article3.1
2.4.1.1.ThelackofprecisioninArticle3.1(b),as
drafted,islikelytogiveconsiderabledifficultyinoper­
ation.TheCommitteehasidentifiedtheneedfordefi­
nitionsofthephrases'allowances'and'privateoccu­
pationalschemes'under(iii)and'protectivemeasures'
under(vi).Consideration shouldbegiventodealing
withthequestionofaccumulationofrightsbetween
thehomeandhostcountries .TheCommitteeunder­
standsthatitisintendedthatthehostcountry'sregu­
lationsshouldbeapplicablebuttheproposalfailsto
tiethisinwiththehomecountry'sobligationsand
practices.Whilstthedetailslaidoutintheproposalsare
fairlyextensive,theyarenotsufficientlycomprehensive .
2.4.2.Termsofemployment
2.4.2.1.AsregardsArticle3ofthedraftDirective,
theCommitteestronglyapprovedtheadoptionof
CouncilDirective91/533/EEC(*)onanemployer'sobli­
gationtoinformemployeesoftheconditionsapplicable
tothecontractoremploymentrelationship .Inparticu­
lar,theCommitteenotedthatexpatriateemployeeswill
beentitledtobeinformedfullyontheirtermsand
conditionsofemploymentapplicabletoaposting
abroad,includingbenefitsincashorkindpayableand
conditionsgoverningrepatriation (Art.4ofDirective
91/533/EEC).
(2)OJNoL283,20.10.1980.
HOJNoL288,18.10.1991. (3)OJNoL48,22.2.1975;OJNoC310,30.11.1991.
DoneatBrussels,18December1991.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
FrancoisSTAEDELIN