News

Although several measures have been taken in recent years to solve problems in cross-border employment, harmonisation of tax and social security systems between countries is still a bridge too far, Professor Marjon Weerepas stated in her inaugural speech entitled 'Border workers: coordinating, not because it is not possible, but because it is necessary'. 

On 19 November Prof. dr. Anouk Bollen (ITEM / Maastricht University, Faculty of Law), was a guest on the regional television programme L1 AvondGasten. Together with members of the European Parliament she took part in a discussion about several European themes. They discussed ITEM's focus, as well as the recently published Cross-border Impact Assessment. The discussion was led by Sander Kleikers of L1.

On 15 November 2018, an ITEM Benelux Workshop about recognising qualifications took place at the Benelux Secretariat General in Brussels. The workshop brought together different stakeholders at the regional, national and European levels.

In March the German coalition agreed to a subsidy aimed at stimulating young families' own home ownership financially. Only  people living in Germany are eligible. What does this mean for taxpaying frontier workers? The Baukindergeld was examined in the framework of ITEM’s annual Cross-border Impact Assessment .

The ITEM Cross-border Impact Assessment 2018 has been published! The report is intended as a valuable tool for policy makers at regional, national and European level when taking decisions on legislation and regulations with (additional) effects for border regions.

On invitation of the Rapporteur Matthijs van Miltenburg, Martin Unfried of expertise centre ITEM participated in an expert panel about a cross-border mechanismorganised by the ALDE Group on 18 October 2018.

In order to cope with labour market shortages and abundances in the area of child care work it has been proposed that Dutch child care workers be employed across the border in Germany. However, recognition procedures have proven to stand in the way of the swift labour market access of Dutch child care workers. A current complaint procedure is aimed at finding out whether the cross-border mobility of child care workers may be facilitated. 

The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports has responded in a letter to the House of Representatives, which has ensured that a recommendation from the report Grenswerkers in Europa (frontier workers in Europe) has been resolved.

A first document has been published as part of the B-Solutions project “Roadmap and factsheet for the recognition of qualifications for highly demanded professions”. The goal of the project, submitted by the Province of Limburg (NL) as lead applicant and carried out by Expertise Centre ITEM, is to develop roadmaps and factsheets aimed at boosting cross-border mobility and employability by improving recognition

The project entitled REconciling sCience, Innovation and Precaution through the Engagement of Stakeholders (RECIPES) will address the topical question as to how to protect health and safety of persons and the environment whilst promoting innovation.