BRATISLAVA BECOMES THE HEADQUARTERS OF ELA
Slovakia’s capital has officially become the seat of an EU agency. The authority overseeing labour rules and tackling the main common labour market challenges officially moved to Bratislava in November.
ELA‘s role is to improve cooperation between EU countries, coordinate joint inspections, carry out analyses and risk assessments on cross-border worker mobility issues while settling disputes between EU countries.
The authority will play an important role in tackling the latest labour market challenges, EU representatives agree. In mid-June 2019, Bratislava beat its counterparts in Latvia, Bulgaria and Cyprus in the competition for the seat of the emerging European Labour Authority (ELA), which has since been established to help ensure that European Union (EU) rules on labour mobility and social security coordination are enforced in a fair, simple, and effective way while making it easier for EU citizens and businesses to reap the benefits of the common market.
Fully operational by 2024
The ELA was established on July 31, 2019, and is expected to be fully operational by 2024 at the latest. Slovakia signed an international agreement on the headquarters of the ELA with the director of the body at the beginning of October.
Hosting the ELA will cut around €55,000 from the state budget on the expenditure side this year and around €1.3 million each year from 2022 to 2024. As the proposal provides for VAT refund claims, this will also affect the revenue side of the tax revenue budget, which will cut an estimated €145,000 this year, €725,000 in 2022 and €580,000 in 2023.
“Starting today, we can fully call Bratislava our home,” said Cosmin Boiangiu, executive director of ELA upon the official opening. Boiangiu stressed that there are plenty of opportunities and challenges lying ahead. In cooperation with other EU member states, institutions and social partners, ELA will aim to ensure fair and effective labour mobility across the Union.
Slovakian mobility
It is no coincidence that the ELA has settled in Slovakia. The country will be a good case practice for the authority considering Slovakia is a regional leader in job mobility.
