**Eight [joint inspections](/en/glossary/joint-inspections "inspection carried out in a Member State with the participation of the national authorities of one or more other Member States, and supported, where appropriate, by the European Labour Authority staff")** took place across the EU on **18-24 March**, in **Cyprus, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Romania and Slovakia**. The action was carried out by labour inspectors as well as enforcement officers from customs, social security, tax, police and migration authorities. Observers joined from **Austria, Bulgaria, Czechia, Poland, Portugal and Slovakia.** Inspections focused on construction worksites with substantial numbers of foreign workers. Multiple layers of **[subcontracting](/en/glossary/subcontracting "Employing a firm or person outside one’s company to do work as part of a larger project."), presence of temporary work agencies, posting and [self-employment](/en/glossary/self-employment "The state of working for oneself rather than an employer. A self-employed person is ‘pursuing a gainful activity for their own account, under the conditions laid down by national law'. As indicated by the European Commission in 2010, there are different understandings and definitions of the term…") mixed with regular employment are characteristic** to this economic sector. - 654 workers interviewed - 191 companies checked - 26 construction sites inspected - 198 control officers involved, including observers from other participating Member States and ELA staff - 12 Member States participated in total National Labour Inspectorate of Slovakia hosted a cross-border inspection in construction for the first time with observers from the Czech Labour Inspectorate and Austrian Finance Police. > "Even though there are differences how labour inspections are organised in Slovakia, Czechia and Austria, we share a lot. Many of our basic tools – such as the template to collect information from workers in the construction site - are very similar" Kamil Košík, responsible for control of illegal employment and posting at the Slovak National Labour Inspectorate The checked worksites in Bratislava region were identified based on posting declarations, which are administered by the National Labour Inspectorate. At one of the worksites there were posted workers from Czechia. > "The workers had PD A1 forms and initial checks have not identified any irregularities. Based on our inspections in construction and other sectors we have had recently less of an issue with posting of third country nationals due to Ukrainians having access to temporary protection" Kamil Košík, responsible for control of illegal employment and posting at the Slovak National Labour Inspectorate ##### Infringements identified The alleged infringements concerned mainly **undeclared work, occupational safety and health, remuneration, [bogus self-employment](/en/glossary/bogus-self-employment "Often referred to as false self-employment or dependent self-employment, this is commonly understood as involving persons/workers registered as self-employed whose conditions of employment are de facto dependent employment. National legislation and/or court decisions determine this status. This…") or illegal work of third-country nationals**. In many of the workplaces the number and level of fines is still to be determined once investigations are finalised. For example, in **Cyprus** a two-day inspection effort **led to checking of 63 companies** and a total of 218 workers of which 84 were EU citizens and 30 third-country nationals. The 27 **fines for undeclared work and other labour law infringements could amount to more than 105 thousand euros**. In **Hungary** the cross-border inspection showed a **preventive role of ELA**-supported actions. A worksite in Budapest inspected as part of a cross-border inspection last autumn was revisited. **The percentage of undeclared work was now much lower.** --- *Last update: 05/04/2024* ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 1](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_1_1.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 2](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_2_0.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 3](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_3.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 4](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_4.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 5](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_5.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 6](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_6.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 7](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_7.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 8](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_8.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 9](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_9.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 10](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_10.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 11](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_11.jpeg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 12](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_12.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 13](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_13.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 14](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_14.jpg) ![Construction Week of Action March - picture 15](https://www.ela.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2024-04/construction_week_action_march24_15.jpg) PreviousNext ## Background information ELA has identified the construction sector as a priority for 2023, acknowledging its high mobility and vulnerability to irregularities associated with labour mobility. This emphasis will extend to 2024 and beyond, reinforcing our continuous commitment to assist Member States in tackling challenges unique to this sector. ELA remains steadfast in its support for cross-border inspections across various sectors to ensure fair and efficient labour mobility in the EU and to uphold workers' rights by facilitating the appropriate enforcement of EU legislation. ## See also - [Campaign webpage EU for fair construction](/en/campaigns/eu-fair-construction) - [ELA YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@EULabourAuthority) ## Press contacts ***Pia-Johanna Fallström*** **European Labour Authority** Head of communication sector & Spokesperson press![at](/modules/contrib/spamspan/image.gif)ela \[dot\] europa \[dot\] eu (press\[at\]ela\[dot\]europa\[dot\]eu)