Calling today's vote on a single permit a "missed opportunity", GUE/NGL MEPs Cornelia Ernst and Patrick Le Hyaric regretted the passing of a text that promotes the exploitation of migrant workers and undermines labour rights.

"Today's vote on the Mathieu report could have been used to establish EU-wide rules for labour migration for immigrants from outside the union that could have been based upon equal rights and equal treatment" Ernst said.

MEP Le Hyaric: "The guidelines endorse the logic of differentiation of rights according to origin, as was the case with the Bolkestein (Services) directive, and applies it to workers from outside the EU."

The directive enables differentiated treatment of European and non-European workers, depending on whether they are posted, seasonal, student, resident, putting them in direct competition and aggravating job insecurity.

"We are not satisfied with this bad compromise; and will continue to call for full equality of all workers' rights irrespective of their origin" said Le Hyaric.

GUE/NGL Press Contact:
David Lundy 0032485505812
david.lundy@europarl.europa.eu
European United Left / Nordic Green Left
European Parliamentary Group
www.guengl.eu