European Commission approves new measures for fair labor mobility

On September 15, 2026, the European Commission, led by Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills Roxana Minzatu, unveiled a new package of measures designed to facilitate cross-border mobility for workers and enhance their social security rights. The package, adopted by the College of Commissioners in Strasbourg, addresses the challenges faced by the approximately 20 million EU citizens who live, work, or travel across borders for professional purposes.

Central to the proposal is the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS), which aims to digitize essential social security documents like the European Health Insurance Card and the A1 portable document, allowing them to be stored in the EU Digital Identity Wallet. The initiative includes legislative proposals to simplify the recognition of professional qualifications and strengthen the European Labour Authority (ELA) to combat fraud and abuse. Officials estimate that this digital transformation could save businesses 64 million euros and healthcare providers 69 million euros over 12 years. While sources differ slightly on the volume of the package—Sigma Live reports five legislative proposals while Cyprus Times cites six—both highlight the common goal of removing bureaucratic barriers for citizens and SMEs.