Worldwide ERC®’s Global Forum Discusses Relevant World Events

At the Worldwide ERC® Global Workforce Symposium, Government Affairs Forum Leaders updated attendees on the implications for mobiltiy of Brexit, EU elections, and ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

The Worldwide ERC® Global Forum met on Wednesday, 16 October 2019 at the Global Workforce Symposium in Boston, MA. The Forum is chaired by Nino Nelissen, SGMS-T, of Executive Mobility Group with Vice Chair Dale Collins, SCRP, GMS of Graebel. Open to anyone interested in issues from around the globe relevant to mobility, the Forum meets at Worldwide ERC®’s U.S. conferences in addition to monthly calls to review a relevant issues matrix.

Vice Chair Collins updated the group on the latest regarding Brexit. Boris Johnson is now the Prime Minister and the British Parliament has taken several steps to prevent him from leaving the EU without a deal. The Irish backstop, which is an insurance plan that would prevent the return of a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, is a pressing issue. Northern Irish Members of Parliament have been adamantly opposed to a deal that has Northern Ireland treated differently than the rest of the U.K. The outcome of Brexit will have a tremendous impact on mobility and is something the Forum will continue to monitor closely.

Chairman Nelissen shared information on topics of interest throughout Europe. EU elections were held earlier this year and traditional power blocs now no longer exist. The European Labor Authority is becoming a reality and Bratislava has been selected as a location for the headquarters. Changes to the Posted Workers Directive are going into effect next year, which is something that employers should be paying very close attention to.

Elsewhere in the world, protests in Hong Kong are ongoing. While this has not impacted mobility too much yet, it could change employer’s plans if the situation deteriorates further. The ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China appears to be impacting the volume of relocations in the region. In Turkey, the ongoing refugee crisis is straining the country’s relationship with the EU.

The minutes of the meeting are available online for those interested in a full report. All Worldwide ERC® members are welcome to attend future Forum meetings. Please also consider joining a forum as well as  our online communities dedicated to the forums.