ILO discusses best practices in labour inspection at EU conference
25 January 2024
BRUSSELS (ILO News) – At a conference on "Fair Mobility in the EU and the role of the European Labour Authority”, Arsenio Fernández, Senior specialist on labour administration at the ILO, underlined that concerted and joint inspections without an underlying case – campaigns – should be fostered, and that the social partners need to be involved when these are designed.
“Campaigns should be the main tool to relate to the labour inspectorate, either national or cross-border,” he said. There can also be value in labour inspectorates publicly announcing the industries and areas of risk which they are about to target, which can serve as a spur to increased compliance in the sectors affected by the campaigns, even prior to any inspection activities.
The conference was organized by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the ILO participated in a breakout session on “Concerted and joint inspections and the Undeclared work platform”. During the meeting, the Belgian EU Presidency presented its report on the European Labour Authority (ELA). The Undeclared work platform is a permanent working group of ELA.
Commenting on the report, Fernández focussed on the need to take into account the occupational safety and health aspects of cross-border enforcement, especially now that the right to a safe and healthy working environment has been added to the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This is particularly relevant when it comes to joint actions and campaigns in the field of undeclared work.
ELA and ILO are collaborating on several joint projects, in particular in Eastern Europe. In 2022 for example, the ILO and ELA collaborated on recommendations for reducing the risks of human trafficking, labour exploitation and undeclared work, with a focus on Ukrainian refugees in Moldova and the EU Member States.
The ILO Senior Specialist discussed two areas for future collaboration. First, this year at the International Labour Conference, the Committee on the Application of Standards will discuss a General Survey on labour administration. The draft of this document calls on the ILO to adopt an action plan that can guide governments in strengthening their national labour administration, such as in the areas of labour regulation, enforcement and social dialogue. “ELA could be involved in the follow-up to this action plan,” he said.
A second concrete proposal would consist in exploring the regulatory aspects of labour inspection procedures and sanctioning systems.
“Campaigns should be the main tool to relate to the labour inspectorate, either national or cross-border,” he said. There can also be value in labour inspectorates publicly announcing the industries and areas of risk which they are about to target, which can serve as a spur to increased compliance in the sectors affected by the campaigns, even prior to any inspection activities.
The conference was organized by the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, and the ILO participated in a breakout session on “Concerted and joint inspections and the Undeclared work platform”. During the meeting, the Belgian EU Presidency presented its report on the European Labour Authority (ELA). The Undeclared work platform is a permanent working group of ELA.
Commenting on the report, Fernández focussed on the need to take into account the occupational safety and health aspects of cross-border enforcement, especially now that the right to a safe and healthy working environment has been added to the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. This is particularly relevant when it comes to joint actions and campaigns in the field of undeclared work.
ELA and ILO are collaborating on several joint projects, in particular in Eastern Europe. In 2022 for example, the ILO and ELA collaborated on recommendations for reducing the risks of human trafficking, labour exploitation and undeclared work, with a focus on Ukrainian refugees in Moldova and the EU Member States.
The ILO Senior Specialist discussed two areas for future collaboration. First, this year at the International Labour Conference, the Committee on the Application of Standards will discuss a General Survey on labour administration. The draft of this document calls on the ILO to adopt an action plan that can guide governments in strengthening their national labour administration, such as in the areas of labour regulation, enforcement and social dialogue. “ELA could be involved in the follow-up to this action plan,” he said.
A second concrete proposal would consist in exploring the regulatory aspects of labour inspection procedures and sanctioning systems.