Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1497813
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 23 APRIL 2023 OPINION 11 Renee Laiviera The right for freedom of movement for workers in the EU every single dangerous dog, but we cannot do it without space to keep them, and the staff to do it." Which brings us to the final – more recent, this time – part of our little chronology. Pauline Az- zopardi herself was appointed to head the AWD in May 2021. At the time, she went on record say- ing that: "One major pain point for the department is a depleted workforce that is unable to stay on top of all calls and requests. [...] "There are a lot of measures that we've already begun introducing, including how we are going to increase our staff, and better the training." Separately, Azzopardi has also endorsed complaints by Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina, to the effect that there is an ongoing 'housing crisis' in the animal sanctuary department (a point she seems to be reaffirming once again, with her latest com- ments). Meanwhile it was only just a few weeks ago – on April 7 – that sev- eral animal rights NGOs issued a joint statement, lambasting Ani- mal Welfare Minister Anton Re- falo for a rather large number of 'unfulfilled promises'... ... and, oh look: they happen to include, among other things: "plans for a national animal res- cue centre at Ta' Qali, that were announced years ago (but which are still evidently 'in the pipeline', all this time later); and also, a re- form of the Animal Welfare Act to "include legislation to regulate an- imal-breeders, legislation to regu- late and licence pet sitters, groom- ers and trainers; and legislation on zoos (to which end a public consultation document was once launched... only to be hastily with- drawn, "immediately after protests from zoo-owners".) You know: all the same issues that are now being raised by the Animal Welfare Directorate itself, as 'excuses' for having failed to take any action at all, in this par- ticular case. 'Lack of space to keep the animals'; 'lack of proper train- ing, and equipment, to actually cope with such cases, in the first place'... it's all right there, isn't it? And it was all promised to us, not just by Pauline Azzopardi her- self: but also by the only person who CAN actually deliver all of the above; and much more. The Animal Welfare Minister, no less: Anton Refalo... who could so very easily have 'prevented' - if not the death of Inez Galea; at least, this latest incident (not to mention the entire 'culture of impunity' that so clearly surrounds such issues, to begin with) - just by 'keeping one or two of his own electoral prom- ises'. Ah, but who actually gets the blame, for all the Minister's evi- dent FAILURE in this regard? An- ton Refalo himself? Pauline Azzo- pardi? Anton Grech? Who? Why... the dogs, of course! What a silly question... SOFIA is a Spanish chef. Her dream is to work in a restaurant in Denmark. In view that freedom of movement is one of the European Union's founding principles, Sofia can live and work anywhere in the EU, earn the same as her Danish col- leagues, and work under the same con- ditions. Freedom of movement for work- ers "means cultural exchanges, plugging knowledge gaps and boosting the internal market." The number of citizens interested in working in another EU country is on the increase. In fact, the share of persons who has no interest at all in working abroad, regardless of pay, declined from 28% in 2009 to 21% in 2022. This development is illustrated in a Eu- robarometer survey on intra-EU labour mobility after the pandemic that found that the majority of Europeans (58%) support labour mo- bility and believe it has positive effects. Moreover, 48% of EU respondents think working abroad helps a person acquire ad- ditional experiences which help them to do their job better. As one of the four freedoms of the EU, the freedom of move- ment for workers as laid down in Article 45 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, gives citizens of an EU member state the right to look for a job in another member state, work there without the need for a work permit, reside there for that purpose, stay there even after their employment has finished, and enjoy equal treatment with nationals in access to employment, working condi- tions and all other social and tax advan- tages. However, this does not always mean that EU citizens who want to move or who move from one member state to another for work purposes do not face problems in exercising their rights. In fact, in 2019, the European Labour Authority was set up to ensure fair labour mobility across the EU and support the coordination of social security systems. At a national level, freedom of move- ment for workers in the EU was included in the remit of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) in 2016 by virtue of Legal Notice 173 of 2016. This Legal Notice stipulates that persons who encounter discrimination or obstacles to exercising the right of free- dom of movement may lodge a complaint to the NCPE. The NCPE can investigate complaints in relation to access to employment; condi- tions of employment and work (remuner- ation, dismissal, health and safety at work, and, if workers become unemployed, re- instatement or re-employment); access to social and tax advantages; membership of trade unions and eligibility for workers' representative bodies; access to training; access to housing; access to education, apprenticeship and vocational training for the children of workers; and assis- tance afforded by the employment offices. One such case inves- tigated by the NCPE in 2018 involved a British national who transferred her resi- dence to Malta with the aim of finding a job, but who was or- dered to leave Mal- ta as it resulted that she was still working in the UK. On the other hand, the com- plainant stated that she was in a pre-re- tirement work phase. She was seeking em- ployment in Malta, and she met both the financial and insur- ance requirements of her host country. Following an investigation, the NCPE Commissioner concluded that due to a failure by the relevant department to sufficiently delve into the complainant's case, the right of free movement was re- stricted without justification. Eventual- ly, the complainant obtained residence when her appeal with the Immigration Appeals Board was upheld. Reporting such cases to the NCPE is thus vital to ensure that rights to freedom of movement are translated into reality. The National Commission for the Pro- motion of Equality (NCPE) can be con- tacted on: 2276 8200, equality@gov.mt or NCPE's social media platforms (Face- book, Instagram, and Twitter - NCPE. Malta) Renee Laiviera is the Commissioner of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality (NCPE) Does this dog look like it was kept in 'entirely acceptable conditions', to you? (Photo credit: The Times of Malta, September 2020) The number of citizens interested in working in another EU country is on the increase. In fact, the share of persons who has no interest at all in working abroad, regardless of pay, declined from 28% in 2009 to 21% in 2022