Brussels, 4th December 2009

Today, UNI europaand Eurociett, the European sectoral social partners for the temporary agency work sector, have officially launched the European Observatory on Cross Border activities within Temporary Agency Work (TAW).

The European Observatory has been launched to provide analysis on the cross border movement for workers and companies in the TAW sector, with a special focus on the impact of the implementation of the Posting of Workers and Temporary Agency Work directives. It is seen as an innovative and concrete European tool, which will be steered by an expert group of members of Eurociett, UNI europa and researchers working in this field.

It is designed to support the work of the European social partners to:

- Ensure a better understanding of the reality of cross border activities within the temporary agency work sector, through research and data collection;

- To gather and analyse good and bad practices with regards to cross-border activities;

- To prepare practical information tools for temporary work agencies and temporary agency workers wishing to work abroad.

The European Observatory’s official agreement was signed by UNI europa’s Regional Secretary Bernadette Ségol and Eurociett ‘s President Annemarie Muntz. On behalf of UNI europa, Ms Ségol said: “The European Observatory has been launched as means by which to provide workers and agencies with guidance before choosing working abroad and to support them during their cross border assignments. It will help them in the fight against unfair practices, with the aim of preventing and denouncing them.I also would like to remind social partners taking part in the implementation of the TAW directive on a national level to take the transnational aspects of the sector into account”.

On behalf of Eurociett, Ms Muntz said: “This new tool is aimed at helping temporary work agencies that wish to assign workers abroad to better understand the legal framework in the EU, especially with regards to the implementation of the Posting of Workers Directive.

Our final objective is to facilitate the development of a well organised work migration through agency work, in order to provide the skills needed while at the same ensuring that cross border temporary agency workers are well integrated into societies.”

Ends

Eurociett As the European Confederation of Private Employment Agencies, Eurociett is the authoritative voice representing the common interests of the agency work industry in Europe. Eurociett gathers 27 national federations from EU and EFTA countries, and 6 of the largest international staffing companies as corporate members. Eurociett promotes the contribution of millions of agency industry. Members of Eurociett refuse to compete to the expenses of workers’ rights and work hand-in-hand with governments to fight illegal work and social dumping.

UNI europa: Building a better Europe UNI europa is a European trade union federation. It unites trade unions active in services and skills sectors in 50 different countries. With over 320 affiliated trade union organisations, UNI europa represents 7 million workers. European integration and globalisation means that trade unions can no longer be effective if they work solely at national or local level. In order to win better conditions for their members, unions representing workers in specific industries have to act together across Europe and internationally.

Contacts Eurociett

Denis Pennel Managing Director

Avenue du Port 86C | Box 302 B – 1000 Brussels Tel : +32 475 86 75 10

Email: denis.pennel@ciett.org UNI europa Rachel Owens 31 Rue de l’Hôpital BE- 1000 Bruxelles

Tel : +32 2 234 56 56

Fax : +32 2 235 08 70 Email : uni-europa@uniglobalunion.org