La Strada International is happy to announce its cooperation in three new EU-funded international projects. The first project called Mobile – Facilitating Intra EU Labour Mobility of Third Country is funded by the Support for Social Dialogue programme and addresses the need for enhance social dialogue to improve conditions for intra-EU mobility, acknowledging the growing importance of third-country nationals (TCNs) in the EU Single Market and the legal and practical barriers including poor working conditions TCNS face.
While the Mobile project likely starts in May, the other two projects are likely to start in July 2025, focusing on information to TCN – Trafficked en route – early identification and support to victims of human trafficking for labour exploitation along migration routes, which aims to address gaps in the identification, transnational assistance and protection of TCN victims of trafficking for labour exploitation, and HOST – Tackling Human Trafficking in the Hospitality sector.
TCN workers in the EU encounter limited employment and labour mobility opportunities. They face diverse legal and administrative obstacles, such as varying regulations on work permits, social protection schemes, and visas across EU Member States, lack of recognition for their qualifications, and the need to navigate complex legal frameworks. TCNs often face economic challenges that restrict their job prospects to low-skilled and low-wage sectors, which also impacts working conditions.
As a result, TCNs are disproportionately concentrated in the informal and/or non-standard forms of employment, exposing them to precarious working conditions and depriving them of social protections. They are vulnerable to exploitation, including unfair wages and unsafe working conditions, which undermine their contribution to the labour market. By promoting fair treatment and equal opportunities, social dialogue mitigates the risks of exploitation and abuse faced by TCNs in the workplace. This approach not only aims to reduce administrative barriers but also to enhance the protection of TCNs’ labour rights and improve their working conditions.
To address these challenges, the Mobile project aims to enhance the capacities and expertise of employers’ organizations and workers’ representatives in social dialogue. By promoting fair treatment and equal opportunities, social dialogue mitigates the risks of exploitation and abuse faced by TCNs in the workplace.
The project is led by the Polish trade union OPZZ and will be implemented across seven countries over 24 months and comprise workshops, research, expert working groups, advisory services, and awareness-raising. Next to OPZZ and La Strada International, partners include the European Federation for Services to Individuals (EFSI); Associazione Domina – the National Association of Domestic Work Employer Families in Italy; the Federal Association for Home Care and Nursing (VHBP) in Germany which represents 300,000 caregivers working for private households in Germany, the European Labor Market Institute (ELMI), FWU, Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS) the Belgium based European Confederation of Care Home Organisations (E.C.H.O.), the Council of European Employers of the Metal, Engineering and Technology-Based Industries (CEEMET), and lastly the Institute for Quality and Innovation in Home Care (iQH).