European Union
Commission proposes new online portal for posted worker declarations
The European Commission has proposed to establish a single declaration portal for companies posting workers to provide services in another European Union (EU) country.
The single digital declaration portal will:
- Reduce the administrative burden for posting workers: the portal will allow companies to use a single form, available in all official EU languages, instead of using 27 different national forms. On average, this will decrease by 73% the time spent on the declarations. The information requested is streamlined to some 30 data points. It will provide for a user-friendly one-stop shop for declaring posted workers in the EU. This will facilitate businesses’ compliance with declaration obligations to competent national authorities.
- Enhance cooperation among EU countries: the new portal will be part of the Internal Market Information System (IMI) that is already used to monitor compliance with the rules on posting of workers. The new public interface will also be based on technical solutions already put in place for the electronic declaration of posted road transport workers, where an electronic public interface, which is also connected to the IMI, is already available since 2022.
- Support protection of workers: simplifying the process will reduce cases of non-compliance and increase the transparency of postings. The portal will facilitate inspections by EU countries, contributing to the protection of posted workers’ rights
EU countries will be able to use the portal on a voluntary basis. Participating EU countries will see the administrative cost of posting workers greatly reduced. This will contribute to the EU objective of reducing companies’ reporting burden by 25%, as outlined in the Communication on ‘Long-term competitiveness of the EU’.
Background
The EU Single Market counts 5 million posted workers. One of the main administrative barriers faced by their employers is to handle multiple and diverse documentation in each Member State.
The freedom to provide services includes the right for businesses to provide services in another Member State, by posting their workers there temporarily. When doing so, service providers must comply with conditions of employment in that Member State as set out in Directive 96/71/EC on the posting of workers. Member States are required to work in close cooperation and provide each other with mutual assistance to facilitate the monitoring of compliance with these terms and conditions of employment.
Furthermore, Directive 2014/67/EU on the enforcement of Directive 96/71/EC provides the possibility for Member States to impose an obligation for service providers established in another Member State to make a simple posting declaration to the competent national authorities of the receiving Member State, containing the relevant information necessary to allow factual controls at the workplace.
First announced in the Update to the 2020 New Industrial Strategy, this action was part of the March 2024 Communication ‘Labour and skills shortages in the EU: an action plan’. In this plan, the Commission announced that it will promote the widespread implementation of a common form of electronic format for posted worker declarations, complemented by the development of a digital multilingual portal through which companies can submit posting declarations for Member States that decide to make use of this tool. The initiative was also announced in the Commission Work Programme for 2024.
Finland
Automated decisions possible for EU citizens who register their right of residence based on work or studies
The Finnish Immigration Service (Migri) has announced that, as of 21 November 2024, citizens of EU Member States, Switzerland or Liechtenstein can receive an automated decision on their EU registration application if they apply for the registration on the basis of work or studies in Finland.
An automated decision is a decision that is automatically made on an application. The automation is based on rules formulated by the Finnish Immigration Service. The system uses these rules to check whether the application meets certain requirements laid down in law. Only positive decisions are made automatically.
Applicants can receive an automated decision on their application if they meet the following conditions:
- The application is submitted on or after 21 November 2024.
- The application is submitted via the Enter Finland online service for registration on the basis of studies.
- All the registration requirements are met. The application does not require case-by-case discretion.
- The applicant does not have a non-disclosure for personal safety reasons.
- The basis for the registration does not change during the processing of the application.
- No family members are applying together with the applicant.
- The applicant is at least 18 years old if they apply on the basis of work, or at least 16 years old if they apply on the basis of studies.
- The applicant has already started their work or studies in Finland.
- The applicant has provided a current document about their work or studies (such as an employment contract or a certificate of attendance from their educational institution).
Before an automated decision can be issued, the applicant must first visit a service point of the Finnish Immigration Service or International House Helsinki to prove their identity.
Spain
Congress approves law ending Golden Visas
On 14 November 2024, Spain’s Congress of Deputies approved a law concerning efficiencies in the Public Justice Service, which includes changes abolishing residence permits based on investment (the Golden Visa programme).
According to the bill, eligible applicants who have submitted their application under this route before the changes take effect will still be issued a visa, and the validity of previously issued visas will be honoured.
The bill will now be considered by the Senate for amendments before returning to the Congress for final approval. The change is expected to take effect from January 2025.
Earlier in 2024, the government announced that it is working to abolish Golden Visas based on investment in residential property, a route which has attracted an increasing amount of investment in Spain, but which has been identified as a cause of the country’s housing crisis.
United Kingdom
Changes to visa application services
The UK has provided more information on upcoming changes to its visa application services.
It was previously announced that, between September 2024 and January 2025, the commercial provider would change from TLScontact to VFS Global in some locations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia.
- From 19 November 2024, the commercial provider changed in Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- From 4 December 2024, the commercial provider will change in Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Serbia, Spain and Switzerland.
- From 14 January 2024, the commercial provider will change in Armenia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden.
More locations and dates will be added to this page.
These changes will not affect the decision on an application or how long it takes to get a decision.
Those whose applications are affected will receive emails from TLScontact and VFS Global. Those who have already booked an appointment with TLScontact should attend the appointment as normal.
