The European Training Centre for Social Affairs and Public Health (EIPA-CEFASS) and the University of Applied Sciences of Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart (D) are pleased to invite you to the International Seminar:

Free Movement of Persons in the EU. Aspects related to Labour, Social and Tax Law

The Training Project will take place on 10 - 11 October, 2005 in Ludwigsburg/Stuttgart, Germany. The target group are civil servants from national and regional administrations, decision makers working in the employment sector or from the chambers of industry or similar bodies. The seminar will take into consideration the recent developments of the EU Lisbon Strategy.

Why this seminar now?
The ambitious Lisbon Strategy is on the top of the agenda of European politics. To achieve the objectives of competitiveness and economy growth, a genuine internal market with free movement of labour, services and capital has to be established. The controversial proposal for an EU Directive on services in the internal market shows that a series of difficult questions have not yet been solved. Moreover, experts are predicting significant changes in European mobility patterns within the regions. For the first time, the University of Baden-
Württemberg and EIPA-CEFASS are pooling their know-how at this seminar, focusing on the challenges of the employment markets in the EU. EIPA-CEFASS is the Italian-based Antenna of the European Institute of Public Administration (Maastricht/NL).

Target group
• Civil servants from national ministries, Land and regional administrations, counties and municipalities dealing with citizenship, immigration, tax and social security.
• Representatives of Chambers of Industry and Commerce, the private sector and other decision makers working in the employment sector in all 25 EU Member States.
• Key persons concerned with the need to modernise employment systems in Europe.

Description and objectives
The seminar will offer the participants the opportunity to learn about employment policies adopted in other countries and help to strategically think about mobility management. Experts from the EU institutions, national authorities, academia and companies in different countries will discuss issues related to the free movement of labour and services. The participants will be able to meet others involved in their field, making it possible to network at a broader EU level.

The following key strategic questions will be addressed:
• How to effectively manage international mobility?
• How to deal with the rights of a person working in another Member State?
• How to manage employment contracts and social security compliance?
• How to cope with different tax systems?
• How to obtain citizens’ rights in a Member State?

Working language
The working language of the seminar will be English or German.

Why participate in this seminar?
• Internationally acknowledged speakers will provide first-hand information;
• Forecasts will be made about the demand for new employment and social policies;
• Possibility to share “good practices” of organisations and countries that are performing well;
• A chance to network with your peers.

Background: current employment policy developments at EU level
One of the most sensitive aspects of the EU’s enlargement is the free movement of people between the current EU and the new Member States. Free movement means that EU citizens may travel to and take up employment or carry out business in any Member State without having to obtain immigration clearance beforehand. Member States’ labour markets are increasingly losing their national character, especially where it concerns skilled and managerial staff. Free movement within the EU is of great importance for employers, who will be able to employ a whole new pool of EU citizens without having to obtain a work permit or other class of visa beforehand. After a transitional period, citizens of the new Member States will enjoy similar free movement rights including unlimited access to EU labour markets. EU countries have the option to maintain existing immigration restrictions for a certain period of time. Rapidly changing tax regimes will need to be reviewed to make sure that they comply with EU harmonisation requirements. Extension of EU social security rules and transitional arrangements will have to be managed carefully to ensure compliance. Competition because of social dumping is the result of different social standards. The social partners will have to cooperate in completing the market and give it a social dimension. Despite all the uncertainty, the potential benefits of the enlargement seem to be clear. A special type of mobility will be short-time employment, practical work, studies, and exchange of know-how in the education sector and in the business sector. Public and private organisations will have to review their mobility strategies and develop options such as a modified expatriate policy, an enhanced local approach, commuter arrangements and shortterm assignments to facilitate mobility within the region. However, stakeholders have not yet been sufficiently prepared for the forthcoming duties and challenges. The seminar intends to address these issues.

General Information

Programme (pdf)
The Seminar will commence on Monday 11th April at 13.30 hrs and will finish on Tuesday 12th April at 16.00 hrs.

Seminar venue
The Seminar will take place at Assembly Room in University of Applied Science (HVF), Reuteallee 36, - D 71634 Ludwigsburg; tel. +49 (0) 7141 140 527, fax +49 (0) 7141 140 544.

Fee
The participation fee is € 250 and includes documentation and refreshments. Accommodation and travel costs are at the expense of the participants or their administration.

Registration
Kindly complete the registration form and return it before 5 October 2005 to Mr. Davide Minelli, Coordinator Assistant, European Training Centre for Social Affairs and Public Health Care, Via Copernico, 38 - 20125 Milano, tel.: +39 02 67100600, fax: +39 02 66982686, e-mail: d.minelli@eipa-it.com. You can also submit the online registration form, which can be found at the website www.eipa.nl.

Hotel reservations
EIAP-CEFASS will be pleased to make reservations for you in one of these two hotels in Ludwigsburg:
Hotel Favorit ***, € 69 single room (incl. breakfast and tourist tax); € 122 double room (incl. breakfast and tourist tax);
Hotel Nestor ****, € 142 single room, (incl. breakfast and tourist tax); € 169 double room (incl. breakfast and tourist tax).
Should you wish to make use of this possibility, please indicate your exact dates of arrival and departure on the registration form. Payment is to be made directly and personally to the hotel on checking out. Please note that if you register after the closing date, hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed.

Meals
The lunch can be taken in the premise of the University of Applied Sciences.

Confirmation
Confirmation of registration will be forwarded to participants on receipt of the completed registration form.

Payment
Prior payment is a condition for participation. Please indicate the method of payment on the registration form. For cancellations received after the date indicated on the registration form we will have to charge an administration fee of € 150 unless a replacement participant is found.