With the Fair Labour Mobility package, adopted on 15 September 2026, the European Commission proposes reforming labour mobility within the European Union by digitising social security documents, making professional qualifications portable, and strengthening the European Labour Authority (ELA). The concrete effects will materialise only once the European Parliament and the Council adopt the proposals. The context Worker mobility is a key feature of the European single market and a cornerstone of European Union law. However, despite its importance and the growing prevalence of cross-border work and transnational posting, European citizens continue to face significant administrative obstacles. Key difficulties include recognising qualifications, demonstrating and documenting social security and healthcare entitlements, and the fragmentation of administrative procedures. Against this backdrop, the European Commission adopted the ‘Fair Labour Mobility Package’ on 15 September 2026 to simplify administrative procedures and facilitate the effective exercise of the right to the free movement of workers. Digital social security and the Esspass The main operational tool in the package is the ‘European Social Security Pass’ (Esspass), designed to digitise and simplify the verification of documents certifying social security entitlements in cross-border situations, thereby facilitating the application for, issuance, and verification of such documents. The system will be rolled out gradually and will cover the portable A1 document, which certifies the applicable social security legislation, and the European Health Insurance Card. People can request and receive the documents online and, with the “European Digital Identity Wallet”, store and present them in digital format, enabling public authorities to verify them quickly and securely. The portability of professional qualifications In the context of European labour mobility, another essential element is the effective portability of professional qualifications. This is where the ‘Skills Portability Initiative’ comes in, introducing interoperable, free, and verifiable digital credentials across the Union. Furthermore, through common training frameworks, which define minimum standards of competence, the aim is to extend automatic recognition across different professions. At the same time, a proposal for a directive on the recognition of qualifications held by third-country nationals aims to simplify the relevant procedures and make them more efficient. Strengthening the European Labour Authority The targeted revision of the founding regulation also strengthens the “European Labour Authority” (ELA) by providing it with more effective risk assessment tools to support concerted and joint inspections, although these will remain voluntary. The new mandate also extends the Authority’s remit to combat abuses against third-country nationals; this is particularly significant, given that in 2023 they accounted for one in five posted workers. Overall, the initiative aims to give the ELA enhanced tools to support Member States in their inspections, thereby combating abuse, irregular work, and exploitation. The aim is to promote fair labour mobility, protect workers, and ensure fair competition between businesses. Concluding remarks The package sets out a model in which social security documents, qualifications, posting procedures, and cross-border checks should be linked via interoperable digital infrastructures, combining simplified compliance requirements with stronger controls. For businesses, professionals and HR departments, however, it is essential to distinguish between the vision outlined and the obligations already in force: a significant proportion of the measures have yet to complete the legislative process, and their actual scope will depend on the final approved texts and on the Member States’ ability to translate European interoperability into a tangible simplification of cross-border compliance, without undermining worker protection.
2026 - Morri Rossetti
