New EU study highlights farm labour challenges, calling for stronger enforcement of the labour legislation and of the CAP social conditionality
- Rural Pact
- Rural Revitalisation Platform
- Agriculture and food
- Migrants
- Social inclusion
- Employment
- Resilient rural areas
- Prosperous rural areas
A recent EU-commissioned study on the working conditions of farm employees reveals persistent challenges affecting rural workers. It highlights that despite EU labour and safety rules, farm workers continue to face significant risks, especially in remote rural areas.
Image by studioroman on Canva
The report identifies risks such as long hours, dangerous machinery, chemical exposure, and inadequate housing, noting the particular vulnerability of migrant and undeclared workers.
The introduction of social conditionality in the 2023–2027 common agricultural policy (CAP) – linking EU farm subsidies to compliance with labour and safety rules – is a crucial step forward in addressing risks in sectors concerned by CAP payments. However, without stronger enforcement of the labour legislation and tailored training, its impact may remain limited.
Consistent enforcement of the labour legislation across EU Member States is hampered among other factors by the uneven interventions of specialised agricultural labour inspection bodies in EU countries, by workforce dispersion, and by language barriers. The availability of data is also often lacking, hampering its monitoring.
Carried out under the CAP’s Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (CMEF), the study is intended to help the European Commission and Member States improve policy coherence, enforcement mechanisms, and data collection.