The Association of Technology Staffing Companies (ATSCo) will be working with Malcolm Harbour MEP, member of the Internal Market Committee, on draft proposals to deregulate the technology staffing industry across the EU.
ATSCo says that freeing up the ICT temporary workers market is vital to ensuring Europe achieves long-term goals of technological advancement, international competitiveness and the Lisbon agenda.
ATSCo held face-to-face talks with Mr Harbour MEP ahead of the recent European Parliament vote on the Services Directive. The aim of the Directive is open up the EU internal market to cross-border competition in services. However, the recruitment industry will be excluded from the Directive and ATSCo believes this is a wasted opportunity.
Ann Swain, Chief Executive, ATSCo, comments: ATSCo is disappointed at the outcome of the vote, but will be putting our industryís concerns to Ian Pearson MP, the Trade Minister, prior to the Council vote in March.
ATSCoís objective is to ensure the technology staffing sector is not held back by onerous regulation and is able to staff companies across Europe.
With his expertise and support of our position, Malcolm Harbour MEP has agreed to assist ATSCo in putting proposals before the EU Commission that will give the sector more freedom to place ICT specialists in the other 24 member states.
She continues: Concerns the EU Parliament had about cheap labour from Eastern Europe are not relevant to the technology sector where workers are highly paid and view freelancing as a lifestyle benefit. Thatís the message we will continue to get across.
ATSCo to draft proposals for deregulation of temporary workers market across EU
Lobbying on Services Directive reveals opportunity to open up agency worker market
