Outgoing Minister Van Gennip announced this week that the introduction of the Law on the Admission of Workforces to the Netherlands (WTTA) will be postponed until Jan. 1, 2027. This is due to the need for service Justis to take more time for the implementation test, as a result of which the previously proposed time frame did not prove feasible.
Criticism of bill
The original purpose of the WTTA remains unchanged: to combat rogue broadcasters and improve the position of migrant workers. We support the decision to delay implementation by one year, given the complexity of the admission system and its significant impact on the labor market. Thorough reflection and careful consideration of feasibility are crucial.
We remain critical of the broad scope of the system. In large parts of the (flexible) labor market, such as secondment, consultancy, interim management and the intermediary services for higher-educated professionals, there are no accommodation problems, underpayment or malafidity.
Scope raises questions
This broad scope raises questions as to the extent to which the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity have been observed. Bona fide companies, which in principle have nothing to do with the problems mentioned in the Roemer Commission report (the reason for the WTTA), face significant administrative burdens and additional regulatory burdens. Annually they may be burdened with at least €143 million in additional regulatory burden.
Improving enforcement
We support the call by the Advisory Committee on Regulatory Burden Assessment (ATR) for a thorough review of enforcement capacity at the Labor Inspectorate. Effective enforcement is essential to ensure the effectiveness of such a regime. An alternative suggestion is the use of a register of companies working with migrant workers. This is more manageable, reduces the regulatory burden on uninvolved companies, and enables the Labor Inspectorate to enforce effectively and in a targeted manner. It is simpler, easier to implement and helps protect and improve the position of migrant workers.
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