Birth of a new EU agency

SOC I A L AG E NDA / J U LY 2 0 1 7 / 1 5 Contact established In July 2019, ELA launched its website, with a functional mailbox. It also started recruiting staff. Its first tasks have to do with both logistics and substance: getting its premises ready in Bratislava and preparing the meetings of ELA’s Management Board. The board met for the first time in October. It is made up of representatives from each Member State, the European Commission, EU-level social partners, an independent expert appointed by the European Parliament, and observers from Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Switzerland as well as from the employment-related EU agencies. A Stakeholder Group including EU-level social partners provides further expertise and has an advisory role for the Management Board. The board discussed the setting up of the Authority, including the adoption of the first ELA budget. At the time of publication, the ELA Management Board was due to meet again, in December, to decide on its work programme for 2020. Information and cooperation One of the key tasks of ELA is that of improving, for the public at large, the availability of information on labour mobility, about people’s rights and obligations when embarking on cross-border activities. Another is to effectively enhance cooperation practices between Member States, including between their labour inspectorates. In the course of 2020, the Member States will second National Liaison Officers (one per country) to the Authority. In charge of liaising with their respective national authorities back home, they will all be working together as a team, under one roof. ELA is expected to reach its full operational capacity by 2024 (see also page 3). © Belga Image Inauguration: The European Labour Authority’s logo was officially unveiled in October 2019, after the law creating ELA came into force on 31 July. ELA in practice Authorities in Member State A identify a suspected case of fraud in the area of posting by a company in Member State B. This company does not only send posted workers to Member State A, but also to Member State C. The three countries decide to launch a joint inspection and ask the Authority to help. Based on agreed routines, the European Labour Authority provides logistical and technical support to the joint inspection, including translation and interpretation services, helping to uncover any irregular activities of the company in all three countries. Operational support Designed to facilitate the implementation of EU labour mobility legislation, the European Labour Authority (ELA) provides national authorities with operational and technical support to exchange information, develop day- to-day cooperation routines, carry out inspections and, if necessary, settle disputes. It ensures synergies with existing agencies and integrates a number of existing committees and networks, thereby simplifying cooperation amongst EU countries. By the time it reaches cruising speed, ELA should consist of approximately 140 staff members, some of them seconded from EU Member States as National Liaison Officers. It will have an annual budget of approximately €50 million. More information: https://ela.europa.eu/index.html SOC I A L AG E NDA / NOV E MB E R 9