Dutch Parliament Urges Cabinet to Restrain Labor Migration from Non-EU Countries
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – The lower house of the Dutch parliament, known as the Tweede Kamer, is calling on the Cabinet to take decisive steps to limit the influx of labor migrants from non-EU countries entering the Netherlands through other EU nations. The issue has sparked debate among various political parties, including PVV, VVD, D66, SP, SGP, and FVD, who argue that current practices bypass the spirit of European legislation and exploit loopholes.
Under European rules, the on-lending of non-EU migrant workers is allowed, enabling, for instance, employees from countries like Uzbekistan to be hired by a Slovak employment agency before being deployed to the Netherlands. This practice is supposed to adhere to the principles of the free movement of persons within the EU.
However, the reality is that many of these workers never actually work in the country from which they were ostensibly hired. Instead, they are sent directly to the Netherlands, raising concerns about the circumvention of labor standards and social security contributions. Thierry Aartsen, a VVD MP, argued that this undermines the intended purpose of EU legislation, as it allows companies to evade premium payments and collective labor agreements.
To address this issue, D66 has proposed that only individuals earning at least 150 percent of the minimum wage should be allowed to work in the Netherlands under this arrangement. Anne-Marijke Podt of the Tweede Kamer pointed out that Dutch companies can take advantage of lower social program premiums in other EU countries, thereby reducing their labor costs.
The PVV has highlighted that temporary workers often only spend a day in the EU country they were supposedly hired from, calling for an end to these dubious constructions. Bart van Kent of the SP described the situation as dehumanizing and called for immediate action, noting that even Eastern European labor migrants are being priced out of the market.
Minister Eddy van Hijum of Social Affairs was urged by the SGP to seek European support for stricter regulations. The debate underscores growing concerns about labor migration practices within the EU and their impact on local labor markets and social welfare systems.
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