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labour mobilityEU

Q&A on the Fair Labour Mobility package: business impact and timeline

The European Commission published a Q&A on the Fair Labour Mobility package, explaining that ESSPASS will reduce paperwork and provide legal certainty for cross-border businesses, with common information requirements for the portable document A1 improving interoperability with the e-declaration portal. Qualification recognition processing will fall from 4 months to 11 weeks, and to 5 weeks for automatic recognition; recognition of non-EU qualifications will drop from an average of 14 months to 4 months. The Digital Identity Wallet is expected to be available to people and companies across the EU by the end of 2026, with digital qualifications integrated three years after entry into force.

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Impact and considerations

The Q&A sets out concrete changes businesses can expect: standardised A1 processes for posting workers, faster qualification recognition, shorter recruitment cycles for non-EU talent, and a timeline for the Digital Identity Wallet, helping companies plan cross-border employment and recruitment compliance.

Key points

  • ESSPASS will reduce paperwork and provide legal certainty for cross-border businesses, with common information requirements for the portable document A1 improving interoperability with the e-declaration portal and avoiding duplicate data submission.
  • Qualification recognition processing will fall from 4 months to 11 weeks, and to 5 weeks for automatic recognition; recognition of non-EU qualifications will drop from an average of 14 months to 4 months.
  • The EU Digital Identity Wallet is expected to be available to people and companies across the EU by the end of 2026; digital qualifications will be integrated into the wallet three years after entry into force.
  • ESSPASS will help social security offices, labour inspectors and healthcare providers verify the authenticity of social security documents quickly, with estimated total savings up to EUR 205 million over 12 years.
  • Paper versions will remain available on request and no one is required to hold a digital wallet; paper social security documents will carry security features allowing instant verification.

Sources and time

Primary source
European Commission
Other sources
0
First source publication
15 Sept 2026, 06:00
Page published
16 Sept 2026, 00:08
Last updated
15 Sept 2026, 06:00
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