Table of Contents:
Free movement of workers: general provisions
Outline of the Community (European Union) legislation about Free movement of workers: general provisions
Topics
These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.
Internal market > Living and working in the internal market
Free movement of workers: general provisions
Document or Iniciative
Council Regulation (EEC) No 492/2011 of 15 October 1968 on the free movement of workers within the Community (Text with EEA relevance).
Summary
Any person from a European Union (EU) Member State has the right to take up gainful employment on the territory of another Member State.
Similarly, an employer is free to circulate vacancies, and conclude and perform employment contracts with European citizens from other Member States.
3. No national legislation may limit offers of, access to, and pursuance of employment by European citizens from other Member States, except if related to the linguistic knowledge required by reason of the nature of the post.
Similarly, the Directive forbids any provision which subjects European citizens from other Member States to:
- special recruitment procedures;
- limits on the advertising of vacancies;
- special conditions related to assistance in finding employment and registering with employment offices.
Exercising an occupation and equal treatment
The Regulation prohibits any discrimination between national workers and those from another Member State concerning:
- working and employment conditions (dismissal, remuneration and reintegration into the workplace);
- social and tax advantages;
- vocational education and retraining;
- collective or individual agreements;
- membership to trade unions and the exercise of rights attaching thereto.
Workers’ families
The children of a European worker who is or has been employed in another Member State shall be admitted to that State’s general educational, apprenticeship and vocational training courses under the same conditions as the nationals of that State. All measures must be taken to ensure their education proceeds under the best possible conditions.
Clearance of vacancies and applications for employment
Member States cooperate and exchange information with each other concerning any study of employment, the labour market and the free movement of workers in the EU.
In addition, each Member State shall establish specialist services for the employment of workers from other European countries, in order to deal with vacancies and applications which may be targeted at them.
References
| Act | Entry into force | Deadline for transposition in the Member States | Official Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 |
16.6.2011 |
– |
OJ L 141, 27.5.2011 |