Four EU cities offer to host the European Labour Authority

Four EU countries have sent offers to the European Council to host the seat of the future European Labour Authority (ELA) in the following cities:

Nicosia (Cyprus)

Sofia (Bulgaria)

Riga (Latvia)

Bratislava (Slovakia)

The offers will be published on the Council website on 13 May.

Assessment criteria

Before 3 June the European Commission will assess the offers based on the following criteria:

– Geographical balance

– the date on which the ELA can be set up after the entry into force of the founding regulation

– accessibility of the location

– existence of adequate education facilities for the children of staff

– appropriate access to the labour market, social security and medical care for both children and spouses

Next steps

On the basis of the Commission’s assessment, the representatives of the member states meeting within Coreper will hold a discussion on 5 June.

Following a vote which will take place in the margins of the EPSCO Council on 13 June in Luxembourg, the final decision on the ELA’s seat will be taken by common agreement of the representatives of member states.

European Labour Authority

The aim of the ELA is to assist member states in implementing EU legal acts in the areas of labour mobility across the Union and of social security coordination.

It will also support member states in the cross-border enforcement of relevant Union law, including facilitating concerted and joint inspections.

The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the Regulation establishing a European Labour Authority on 14 February 2019. On 16 April the European Parliament voted in favour of the agreement.

The adoption of the regulation by the Council is expected in June.