Working in the EU

After successfully growing from 6 to 15 members, the European Union is now preparing for its biggest enlargement ever in terms of scope and diversity. A total of 13 countries applied to become new members but only 10 of these countries - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic, and Slovenia - are set to join on 1st May 2004.

For Malta, this will bring about several advantages as well as disadvantages. The disadvantages have to be decreased as much as possible whilst the Maltese people must make the best of the advantages European Union Membership will offer.

One such example is the freedom of movement - i.e., people from European Union Member States are allowed to leave their country of origin and take up a job in another country that is also a European Union Member State.

Free movement for persons is one of the most important expressions of our European citizenship. Free movement has many facets. The right of residence is understandably often confused with the rights of workers.

The main concern expressed by those opposing European Union membership was that after membership, Malta would become an alternative destination for jobless people around the EU. The apprehension of the possibility of Sicilians invading the Maltese labour market was mentioned frequently.

Today, all EU nationals may move freely within the European Union, as this right is part and parcel of European citizenship. The right of every worker in the EU to move freely is today enshrined in all EU Member States. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are also granted the right to stay in every other Member State for the purpose of employment and to remain there indefinitely.

Freedom of movement entails the abolition of any discrimination based on nationality between workers of the Member States as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work. Migrant workers from Member States are to be treated on an equal footing with employees possessing the nationality of the respective country of employment, especially with regards to working conditions and social security.

What does it mean for the Maltese? For us it means that Maltese citizens will be able to move freely throughout all EU countries not just as tourists, but also for the purposes of work, study, and training, as well as for the purposes of simple residence or even retirement.

The same applies to EU citizens in Malta. However, the government managed to get a seven-year transitional period. This means that from the first day of membership, Maltese citizens will have the right to seek work in the EU Member States while Malta can stop EU citizens from coming to work in Malta.

Malta obtained this seven-year period during which it may apply safeguards on the right of EU workers to seek work in Malta. Restrictions may be imposed unilaterally by Malta in urgent and exceptional cases where the inflow of EU workers puts a strain on the local labour market or elements of it.

After this period, in the event of a massive influx of EU workers in our country, Malta may still seek a remedy through the EU institutions. The EU has accepted Malta's requests in this respect. The previous restrictions on non-EU nationals seeking work in Malta would continue to apply.

So upon membership, Maltese citizens may seek work in all the fifteen EU countries, in the new member countries of the EU as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. But to come and work here, European citizens have to respect the restrictions being imposed by Malta.

Maltese citizens and members of their family will have the automatic right of residence in other EU countries. This does not apply to other Europeans before the seven years of membership are over.

How does the transitional arrangement work?

The transitional arrangement for the free movement of workers, as agreed between current and future Member States, basically means that the present system, whereby people from the future Member States need to get a work permit to work in the EU, continues to operate for some years after accession. It does not only apply to "blue-collar" workers, but to anybody who wants to sign an employment contract with an employer in one of the current Member States.

This is the normal system that applies internationally and the idea is to move gradually towards the EU system, where people can freely get a job anywhere in the EU.

That is quite a radical change, and it has usually been done gradually, between the original Member States and when new Member States joined. In particular, when Spain and Portugal joined, there was a phasing-in period of 7 to 10 years, which was subsequently shortened. This somewhat restrictive situation can only improve because Member States have promised to try to increase the rights of access to the labour market and they will not be allowed to take away any rights already granted. Moreover, there will a "preference rule", meaning that when a job is offered to a foreigner, citizens of future member states must get priority over people from non-EU countries.

Once a worker moves to another country, he/she has certain rights.

A EU citizen has the right to work in another Member State without a work permit (subject, of course, to the transitional arrangements).

Equality of treatment in employment matters as compared to nationals.

Workers are entitled to the same social and tax advantages as nationals. They are also entitled to enjoy all the rights and benefits accorded to national workers in matters of housing. In practice this means that workers from another Member State can apply for social housing and are entitled to purchase housing. As regards social and tax advantages, it means that nationals cannot be treated better than workers from other Member States.

The worker's family, whatever their nationality, are entitled to join him or her.

Equality of treatment - in particular the worker's family is entitled to receive family allowances on the same basis as nationals.

Community rules on mutual recognition of professional qualifications will apply fully.

In the past, workers from candidate countries have only enjoyed equal treatment as regards working conditions, remuneration or dismissal. With accession they will be in a far more favourable situation.

Any EU citizen can simply apply for a job in another Member State and, if offered that job, he/she can move to the Member State in question and start work. An individual is also entitled to come to another Member State in search of work and is entitled to continue looking for a reasonable time (usually 6 months). The individual will need to comply with the registration procedures in vigour in the Member State. In most Member States this involves identifying/reporting oneself to the relevant authorities (police, immigration office, etc.) and registering.

But how will Maltese know of EU openings?

Commercial Services Bureau Ltd (CSB) was recently appointed as the exclusive partner of StepStone in Malta in a bid to provide employers and job seekers with access to Europe's widest-reaching online recruitment service. Apart from local job opportunities, the widely used www.vacancycentre.com, operated by CSB, will now also be featuring jobs across various European countries.

StepStone operates online job sites across 13 European countries and also provides solutions and assistance to employers willing to recruit workers within their enterprise. StepStone publishes thousands of job opportunities across Europe each day, and recruiters are offered a wide range of products and services to help fill their vacancies with quality people, quickly and efficiently.

Founded in Norway in 1996, StepStone pioneered the development of online recruitment in Europe. Today, it is Europe's leading provider of online career services and recruitment solutions. StepStone's public career sites cover 13 European countries, providing high-quality candidates to recruiters quickly and effectively through individually focused campaigns. StepStone's recruitment solutions allow customers to operate their own private career sites, covering both external and internal candidates. Thousands of companies, including Ikea, Deutsche Bank, TNT, KLM, CMG, Cargill and KPMG, use StepStone's services to help them recruit qualified staff across Europe.

What to do if you are going to work abroad

If you are offered a job overseas by an organisation or company, it is important that you conduct some research into it before you accept the offer. Find out as much as you can about the organisation or company that is offering you the job. Ask others who have worked for the organisation, or ask to speak to someone currently employed there.

The conditions of employment offered to you are important. It will also be useful to see in which currency your salary is paid. Will your employer pay for your accommodation, utilities, telephone calls and the cost of transport to and from work each day? If you are going to a non-English speaking country, will your employer pay for language training? Does the company offer different (and separate) standards of accommodation for single and married members of its staff? Would you be expected to share accommodation with other employees?

Do airfares, health and dental insurance coverage provided by the company extend to other members of your family? Will the company pay for relocation costs, school fees and residency permits? Are you to be paid sufficient salary/allowances to cover basic in-country costs of living?

These are all important issues, which need to be tackled before accepting the job and before signing any kind of contract.

Some useful tips

Once you're overseas, you will obviously experience a "culture shock". The intensity differs from person to person but everyone experiences a period of adjustment. Some symptoms of "culture shock" include:

• feeling angry, frustrated and irritable
• loneliness, avoiding contact with the locals and only spending time with other foreigners
• negative feelings towards the local people and culture
• compulsive eating and drinking, excessive sleep
• boredom, tiredness, inability to concentrate or work effectively

How to cope with "culture shock":

• make an effort to adjust to the new culture
• get involved - learn a new sport, study something, join a club
• explore your surroundings, travel through the country you are living in - be a tourist
• take the time to meet other people and make some friends
• keep in touch with friends and relatives in your home country.
• keep a diary or write letters home, this will help you sort out any problems you may have take things with you that remind you of home - CD's, books, hobbies. Use these if you're feeling a bit homesick.

Article prepared by Commercial Services Bureau (CSB) Ltd.

Since 1987, CSB Ltd. has been servicing the local and international business community with its range of employment/recruitment related services. It has helped thousands of employees improve their job conditions and careers, and employers obtain the ideal staff for their organisations.