European Parliament to stamp out illegal employment of migrants

The European Parliament's Civil Liberties Committee has started discussing the detailed provisions of a new EU law intended to stamp out the illegal employment of immigrants.

Maltese MEP Simon Busuttil, the main negotiator of the European People's Party, said that there was a general agreement that this law was necessary since it would send out a clear message to employers that illegal employment could no longer be tolerated. The law, he said, should also send an unequivocal message to would-be illegal immigrants that Europe was not a free-for-all.

"Risking your life to cross to Europe and then end up in modernday slavery is just not worth it," he said.

The law will establish common sanctions for employers who employ immigrants illegally, including tough fines, disqualification from public tenders and the recovery of EU funds and state subsidies. In the most serious cases the law would also provide for criminal penalties.

Among others, criminal sanctions will apply in cases of repeated offences, in cases of the employment of a large number of illegal immigrants and in cases where conditions are particularly exploitative.

Illegal work, across Europe, is often concentrated in the construction, agriculture, cleaning and the hotel and catering sectors.