ELA report outlines how to strengthen cooperation in labour mobility

ELA has released a comprehensive report analysing over 60 bilateral and multilateral agreements between EU Member States aimed at improving labour mobility—particularly the posting of workers.

The report examines how administrative cooperation agreements between Member States work in practice, why they were created, and the challenges they address. Based on surveys and interviews with national experts, it includes a legal review that places these agreements within a broader typology of international cooperation. It also highlights successful practices and shows how the agreements complement EU labour mobility rules and ELA’s potential role in supporting their implementation. 

The analysis highlights key factors that contribute to successful collaboration between countries:

• mutual trust between enforcement authorities;
• joint bodies or local contact points to coordinate efforts;
• linguistic proximity between cooperating countries;
• support from external networks, including EU-level actors.

These elements were found to play a crucial role in ensuring that agreements are not only signed but effectively implemented and maintained over time.

To build on existing efforts, the report proposes several operational measures, including:

• creating an EU-wide database of cooperation agreements,
• developing a ‘model’ agreement for future use,
• involving more enforcement authorities and social partners to improve compliance.

The findings provide insights into how Member States can strengthen cooperation in labour mobility, with ELA committed to continuing its support and promoting stronger cooperation.