Bulgaria will apply to host seat of European Labour Authority

The government on 30^th of April approved Bulgaria's application to host the seat of the European Labour Authority, the newest European agency, which is about to start working before the end of the year.

The Agency will be responsible for mobile workers in the EU with the aim of supporting member states in the implementation of EU legislation on cross-border labour mobility and the coordination of social security systems, including free movement of workers, posting of workers and highly mobile services.

Its duties will also include facilitation of the organisation of joint inspections of cross-border infringements and conducting mediation procedure in disputes between the competent institutions of the member states in the application of that legislation.

The new structure is envisaged to bring together the technical and operational tasks of several existing EU bodies - the European Bureau of Coordination, the Technical Committee on Free Movement of Workers, the Committee of Experts on Posting of Workers and the European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work.

The European Commission proposed the establishment of the agency in March 2018. Negotiations on the adoption of the regulation were launched during the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the text was agreed in principle in February. The European Parliament gave it a green light in April.

The deadline for submitting applications is 6 May, and the seat is expected to be approved by EU social ministers on 13 June. Slovakia, Cyprus and Latvia have also expressed interest to host the seat of the European Labour Authority.

Bulgaria is the only European country that does not host a European agency. The country applied for the European Medicines Agency last year, but Amsterdam was chosen to host it.