Does EURES really exist?

October 10, 2012 by Maria Milouv Leave a Comment

László Andor, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion – European Job Day in Brussels.

EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion László Andor has repeatedly said that, “free movement of workers allows EU nationals to look for a job in another EU country, to work there without needing a work permit and to enjoy equal treatment with nationals of the host country in terms of access to employment, working conditions and social benefits”.

Unfortunately this is very rarely the case. Remember the Romanian Roma who went to France to seek jobs? Or the Polish plumber who wanted to work in Paris? They were all turned back. What about the hundreds of thousands of Greek and Spanish youths who would like to search for a job in the more prosperous EU countries? Who is helping them?

This week the European Commission took a “Decision to modernise and improve EURES, the pan-EU job search network”. It was high time to do this. Still the resources however the Commission is ready to devote to upgrade EURES, are so restricted that in reality, it seems that Brussels do not want to actively support the unemployed of the South to be added to the queues outside the employment offices of the North. In fact the EURES is an illusory construction.

Details for EURES upgrade in this address: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1262_en.htm?locale=en

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