Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) on September 22 met with Cosmin Boiangiu, Executive Director of the European Labour Authority (ELA), to discuss current developments regarding labour mobility.

This was the Executive Director’s first visit to Latvia, as well as the first meeting with the social partners since the establishment of the European Labour Authority (ELA) in 2019, for the establishment and functions of which the LDDK’s proposals had also been submitted to the Ministry of Welfare. The ELA helps national authorities of the Member States of the European Union (EU) ensure that EU rules on labour mobility and social security coordination are enforced in a fair and effective way, and makes it easier for citizens and businesses to reap the benefits of the EU internal market.

Addressing the ELA representative, LDDK Director General Līga Menģelsone said it was important for employers that the internal labour market of the European Union work for the benefit of all EU Member States, economies and companies. In future cooperation, it is essential to ensure prompt resolution of problems in specific situations, as well as electronic information exchange in the country’s respective national language.

ELA Executive Director Cosmin Boiangiu highly appreciated the opportunity to meet with social partners from Latvia. It is important for the Latvian economy to be able to compete on an equal footing in the EU internal market, he emphasized. The ELA was set up to solve any issue related to labour mobility, to provide a broader view of living conditions in the EU internal market, and to provide companies with correct information, in their own national language, on applicable legislation, minimum wages and social benefits in different EU Member States, said Boiangiu. The priorities in future cooperation include combating undeclared work, as well as employment of third-country nationals, posting of workers and teleworking, the ELA Executive Director emphasized. Boiangiu also said that properly addressed issues of sustainable workforce and labour mobility could have a positive impact on investment opportunities.

The ELA has a high opinion of the LDDK’s role as a social partner in the EU internal market, international cooperation, employment and business environment, and is ready to do everything in its power to cooperate and support employers, as well as ensure healthy labour mobility in Europe that responds to the needs of economies of all EU Member States.

About LDDK:

The Employers’ Confederation of Latvia (LDDK) is the largest and most influential organization representing employers in Latvia. LDDK was established in 1993 and its members are employing 44% of Latvia’s employees. LDDK is a social partner to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia (LBAS). LDDK unites and represents employers whose aggregate annual turnover is ~40 billion euros. LDDK members represent sectors like industrial production, finance, education, transport and logistics, health, ICT, trade, construction, tourism and hospitality, chemical industry, pharmacy, energy, manufacturing, etc. LDDK is a member of BUSINESSEUROPE, representing interests of Latvian enterprises also in the framework of the EU social dialogue.

About ELA

The European Labour Authority helps improve cooperation between EU countries, coordinates joint inspections, carries out analyses and risk assessments on cross-border labour mobility issues and mediates disputes between EU countries.