The posting of workers has become an important form of intra-EU labour mobility and employment in Belgium, especially in the Belgian construction sector. In this context, Lynn De Smedt and Frédéric de Wispelaere (HIVA – KU Leuven) have undertaken to map out the number, characteristics, and impact of intra-EU posting to Belgium, as well as of the infringements that occur during these activities. Among other conclusions the report highlights:

• In 2023, around 232. 000 persons were posted to Belgium, of which some 196.600 posted workers and 38.900 posted self-employed persons. The main sending Member States of the posted persons reported in Limosa are Poland (23% of the posted persons) and the Netherlands (19%).
   
• In 2023, about one out of four persons posted to Belgium were third-country nationals (TCNs). More than one in five of these TCNs are Ukrainians (21% of posted TCNs). Moreover, Brazilians (14%), Belarusians (10%), Indians (7%), and Bosnians and Herzegovinians (5%) are other important groups of TCNs being posted to Belgium.
   
• The two main routes of TCNs being posted to Belgium concern Ukrainians posted from Poland in the Belgian construction sector and Brazilians posted from Portugal in the Belgian construction sector.
   
• In 2023, there were 80.7 FTE involved in the enforcement of the posting rules. This means there is one FTE for 3.270 incoming posted persons registered in Limosa. The question is whether the benchmark of one social inspector per 10.000 workers, as defined by the ILO, is a useful benchmark for determining the number of FTE needed in the enforcement of posting rules.
   
• In 2023, 7.759 investigations took place regarding compliance with the posting rules. Out of the 7.759 investigations related to the compliance of the posting rules, 3.429 were positive investigations in which an infringement was found, or an infringement rate of 44.2%.

For further information, please read the report attached above.