The EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), which is headed by Irish solicitor Michael O’Flaherty, has called on the union’s institutions and member states to take all the necessary steps to stop the exploitation of migrant workers, and ensure safe working conditions and fair pay.

Mr O’Flaherty said the COVID-19 pandemic had shed light on the unacceptable conditions in which many exploited workers work across Europe.

'Horrifying'

“The reports from agricultural farms and slaughterhouses, where many of the workers are migrants, are truly horrifying,” he said.

“We clearly have to do more to stop labour exploitation, provide safe working conditions and ensure adequate pay.”

The FRA said a 2019 on migrant workers showed illegal practices in many sectors including agriculture, construction, domestic work, hospitality, manufacturing and transport.

Fear

The agency said many workers endured – and rarely reported – these violations out of fear of losing wages owed to them or fear of expulsion.

The FRA said that as a result, labour inspectorates and law enforcement authorities uncovered “only few of these misdeeds”, and offenders faced little risk of being investigated or prosecuted.

“Even though the rules to protect workers are there, they need to be more strictly enforced and cross-border cooperation between EU countries needs to become stronger,” the agency said.