Recruitment of third-country workers in the Bulgarian tourist industry

9.6.2017

Question for written answer E-003878-17
to the Commission
Rule 130
Ole Christensen (S&D)

With reference to the answer to Written Question E-001500/2017 concerning the employment of Filipino truck drivers, it has now emerged that Bulgaria is recruiting people from Moldova and Ukraine to work in the tourist industry. The reason given for bringing those workers in is that there is a labour shortage in the tourist industry. It seems inconceivable that no-one can be found among the unemployed in Bulgaria or any other EU Member State with the right skills to take a job in the tourist industry. Bringing in labour from elsewhere means that the normal labour market supply and demand mechanisms do not apply, making it possible to keep wages at artificially low levels. This has an adverse effect on Bulgarian employees and is inconsistent with Principle No 6 (Wages) of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

Is bringing in third-country workers to fill vacancies in the Bulgarian tourist industry consistent with the EU rules in force?

What criteria must be met in order for an EU country to bring in workers from third countries, and should there not be a focus on regional or EU-wide labour supply, rather than on that available in a single Member State?

What is the Commission doing to ensure that the rules on the recruitment of third-country workers are not used to keep wages in EU countries at artificially low levels?