This past Monday, the European Union's labour ministers reached an agreement on how to revise the posting of workers directive, and the new proposal revises certain elements of the original 1996 directive. The President of the Employment and Social Policy Council, Estonian Labour and Health Minister Jevgeni Ossinovski, was quoted as saying that "there was broad support for our compromise. The final text strikes a delicate balance." Poland, Hungary, Latvia and Lithuania are said to be against the deal, whereas Croatia, Great Britain and Ireland are said to be reserved. The ministers of the remaining 21 member-states were for the proposed agreement.
During the Council of Ministers meeting, Croatia had a neutral position. However, Latvia and Croatia also gave their separate opinions on that directive, primarily in connection with a further period for adjustment, Pavic told reporters in Zagreb on Friday after a business conference.
For instance, Croatia holds that road transport should be exempted from the directive and also expresses fear that the directive makes the division between east and west Europe larger, the Croatian minister said.
After the adoption of the amended directive in national parliaments, member-states will have three years to transpose it into the national legislation and a year for adjustments. Thus, the implementation of the new directive can be expected in four years' time, according to the minister.
Croatian Banking Association (HUB) director Zdenko Adrovic fears that the new directive would harm companies that have already concluded contracts with investors, with the calculated lower hourly pay for workers posted to wealthier EU countries.