European Union

Less than 15 days after the publication of the Civil Society’s joint statement calling on the European Commission to “stop turning a blind eye to the fact that a series of Member States are not complying with the EU’s Family Reunification Directive”, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström, has announced that the Commission will monitor closely the implementation of the Directive in Member States and will ensure its correct implementation by starting infringement procedures where necessary or by issuing interpretative guidelines

Some Member States are still failing to apply EU rules on sanctions and measures against employers who exploit irregular migrants. Today, the Commission decided to advance infringement proceedings and issue reasoned opinions requesting Finland, Portugal and Slovenia bring their laws into line with the Employer Sanctions Directive (Directive 2009/52/EC), which should have been implemented by 20 July 2011.

Non-EU seasonal workers would enjoy basic working and living conditions, such as a minimum wage and decent accommodation, under draft legislation endorsed by the Civil Liberties Committee last Wednesday. These rules would tackle exploitation, while preventing temporary stays from becoming permanent. The Commission estimates that over 100,000 third-country seasonal workers come to the EU every year.

MEPs from across the political spectrum have united against an anti-immigrant internet hotline set up by the party of controversial Dutch politician Geert Wilders.

Deputies from all political groups - aside from the nationalist EFD group - backed a resolution on Thursday (15 March) describing the website as an “ill-intentioned initiative aimed at creating divisions within the society and obtaining political gains to the detriment of workers from Central and Eastern Europe.”