The European Commission says its rules protecting seasonal workers are still “fit for purpose” despite persistent exploitation, illegal employment and poor living conditions in the EU’s agricultural sector.
The Commission identified agriculture and food processing as “high-risk sectors” for trafficking for labour exploitation, which has risen by 70.5% since 2019, according to a report published on Friday on the implementation of the bloc’s 2014 Seasonal Workers Directive.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 72% of all seasonal work permits issued in the EU in 2024, with 196,650 permits granted. Overall, seasonal work permits more than doubled between 2019 and 2024, rising from 115,726 to 273,897.
The report highlights ongoing problems including poor accommodation, underpayment, illegal and undeclared work, and limited access to healthcare and social protection.
The largest groups of non-EU seasonal workers came from Morocco (76,579 permits), Bangladesh (53,567), India (39,137), Tunisia (12,675) and Ukraine (7,524).
Enforcement gaps persist
Brussels acknowledges that enforcement remains uneven across EU countries.
In Italy, authorities found breaches in 68.4% of 8,847 labour inspections carried out on farms in 2024. The report nevertheless points to Italy’s intensified crackdown on “caporalato”– illegal gangmaster-style labour networks linked to exploitative farm work.
The Commission also admitted that labour inspections across the EU are often understaffed,...
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