Issues related to the posting and employment of workers in the framework of the provision of services, a major European pillar of social rights, were on top of the agenda discussed by Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga and the European Commission’s Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen.
At the talks, the Minister said that Hungary’s labour market trends have steadily improved since 2010, Hungary now has the third lowest unemployment rate in the EU and this amply shows that the economy has grown stronger.
Mihály Varga noted he considered the EU initiative concerning social rights to be ambiguous, as the planning, organization, operation and financing should remain as the competence of member states. The standpoint of the Hungarian Government is that it is a prerequisite of sustainable economic growth, for which it is essential to improve competitiveness and increase employment, he added.
Speaking of the directive on posting, the Minister stated that the proposed changes are unacceptable for Hungary, as they would artificially restrict the freedom of services, as a result of which Hungarian enterprises providing cross-border services would be forced out of the EU common market and, eventually, the competitiveness of the entire EU would diminish.
The two parties agreed that labour market trends have recently improved significantly in Hungary, as the unemployment rate has dropped even below the pre-crisis level, the unemployment rates for young jobseekers and the long-time unemployed have declined, while the economic activity and employment rates as well as labour supply have increased significantly.
(Ministry for National Economy)
