Brussels/Frankfurt – 4.9.2020 – Commenting on the EU Commission's proposal for more clarity on measures restricting free movement in the EU, Thilo Brodtmann, VDMA Executive Director, says:

"A European solution is absolutely necessary in order to maintain business in the Internal Market. It is, therefore, a good thing that the EU Commission now wants to encourage the Member States to adopt a uniform approach in the further course of the COVID-19 pandemic. National solo efforts, such as at the beginning of the Corona crisis, are poison for the economy and undermine the European idea.

However, freedom of movement in Europe is not only important in times of crisis, but it must be guaranteed at all times. This includes eliminating obstructive measures such as the protectionist handling and enforcement of the EU Directive on the Posting of Workers in numerous EU Member States. This leads to an enormous bureaucratic burden for companies and ensures isolation in the Internal Market. The EU Commission should finally get to the root of the problem and create a uniform and unbureaucratic enforcement of the Posting of Workers Directive and thus re-establish the freedom of movement for workers."

A photo of Thilo Brodtmann, Executive Director of VDMA, can be found here.

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The VDMA represents around 3300 German and European companies in the mechanical engineering industry. The industry represents innovation, export orientation, medium-sized companies and employs around four million people in Europe, more than one million of them in Germany.