A selection of the latest European HR news from the Federation of European Employers (FedEE).

Improving migration rights for Non-EU workers

The European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee is currently considering a draft EU Directive on intra-corporate transfers. This will make it easier for multinational companies to transfer highly-skilled workers and managers from outside the European Union (EU) to work in their operations within the EU. The transfer period will initially be limited to three consecutive years. 

MEPs are also debating a draft Directive on the protection of seasonal workers. This proposal grants seasonal workers - mainly in agriculture and tourism - easier access to work permits. These would be limited to six months per year and for no longer than three successive years. Workers would have to be provided with a written employment contract that includes a clear remuneration level. Employers would also have to demonstrate that adequate accommodation was available.

Germany: Wake-up call over shortfall in skilled workers
According to Germany's state labour agency the country faces a medium-term shortage of 2 million skilled workers, with the shortfall growing to 7 million by 2025. Only half of this deficit can be covered by training and mobilising workers from within the country. This wake-up call appears to have already been acknowledged by the German government. In March Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet approved legislation to recognise foreign academic qualifications, making it easier for non-EU professionals to find employment in Germany. 

Netherlands: Holiday carryover rights to be limited to six months
The Dutch Senate is set to approve a Bill already passed by the lower house of parliament limiting the statutory holiday carryover rights of employees to the first six months of the following year. 

Netherlands: The career impact of parental leave and PT work
Women in the Netherlands, who stop working for an extended period in order to have children are less likely to return to work and the chances of their returning to work declines the longer their absence from the labour market according to a report published by the Research Centre for Education and Labour Market.

Netherlands: Expatriate scheme exploited by country nationals
The Dutch expatriate income tax-break scheme is to be amended in order to prevent it being exploited by Dutch nationals returning to live in the Netherlands. Currently expatriates with specific expertise can apply to have their tax limited to no more than 30% of their total income for a period of up to ten years. This scheme covers around 40,000 key staff and is an important factor when multinational companies are deciding wehere to locate their European head office. However, it has recently emerged that some 2,000 of recipients are Dutch nationals.

Spain: New deal on collective agreements
Employers' groups and unions in Spain have taken one step closer to concluding a deal on collective bargaining agreements - although the signing of a final reform package is not likely to take place until after the 22 May 2011 local and regional elections. The new framework will stipulate time limits for the negotiation of new collective agreements and seek to curb absenteeism. Although there are no specific figures agreed for pay norms or increases, the deal replaces wage indexation with a more flexible approach.

France: Law against illegal working
The French parliament has adopted a new law on immigration, integration and citizenship which modifies L.8221-5 of the French Labour Code and transposes three European directives into French law.

The law aims to prevent the employment of legal aliens and other undeclared work. When undeclared work is discovered by the labour inspectorate they may now suspend operations for up to three months. During this period employees will be entitled to be paid in full. In addition, employers may be prohibited from tendering for public contracts for six months.

Belgium/ France: Free healthcare for cross-border workers
For the first time, cross-border workers from certain areas of Belgium and France will be able to claim national health insurance from the Caisse nationale de santé in Luxembourg. Those residing in the south-Belgian region and Bassin de Longwy will no longer have to pay a premium for their healthcare in Luxembourg.

UK: Guidance on new agency workers regulations
The UK government has just published guidance for employers and recruitment agencies on the Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) which will come into force on 1 October 2011. Agency workers will be given the right to the same basic employment and working conditions as permanent staff and will be entitled to use company facilities such as canteens and childcare facilities from the first day of their appointment.

Additional new equal treatment entitlements relate to pay and other basic working conditions (annual leave, overtime, etc) and come into effect after an agency worker completes a 12 week qualifying period in the same job with the same user company. Pregnant agency workers will also be allowed to take paid time off for ante-natal appointments during their assignment.

UK: Consultation on boardroom gender equality
A consultation exercise has begun on whether it should be made compulsory for stock-market listed firms in the UK to make their policy on boardroom gender diversity public knowledge. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is investigating whether such a requirement could reduce instances of sex discrimination in senior management positions.

Denmark: Immigration restrictions a barrier to growth
A recent survey has revealed that 60 percent of Denmark's largest companies need to attract foreign employees within the next three years in order to gain the right mix of skills and experience. Although the main barriers to immigration are bureaucratic immigration procedures and high taxes the Danish immigration minister, Soren Pind, has recently pointed out that the number of residence permits issued for work and study has tripled since 2001.