European Commission's Proposals on Intra-Corporate Transferees Fail to Address the Needs of Working Spouses

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands, July 19, 2010 - Proposals by the European Commission for a directive on the entry and
residence of Intra Corporate Transferees fail to address the needs of working
spouses and partners. The Commission's initiative is intended to facilitate
common work permit procedures for transferring managers, specialists and
graduate trainees to Europe by international companies. However, although the
proposals respect basic family rights to accompany the employee, they do not
include a provision for partners to work. This is despite the fact that
several individual European countries already allow this.

While it is good news that the Commission recognises the economic
importance of intra-company transfers, the lack of recognition of partner
needs is seen as a missed opportunity according to the Permits Foundation, an
international organisation that campaigns for employment access for
accompanying partners.

"If the spouse can't work, the employee may not accept the appointment
and the key skill the employer is trying to resource won't be available.
That's bad for business and it's bad for the local and European economy''
said Permits Foundation Board Member Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton. "We had
expected the Commission's proposal would allow partners to work as is the
case with the Blue Card Directive for other highly skilled employees."

Permits Foundation recently published the results of a global spouse
survey giving evidence that a lack of partner employment opportunity
adversely affects the mobility of highly skilled international staff. Around
22 per cent of international employees had previously turned down an
assignment, and 7 per cent had ended an assignment early, because of concerns
about the partner's career. Nearly 60 per cent said the employee was unlikely
to transfer in future to a location where it is difficult for a partner to
get a work permit.

According to Gill Gordon, an HR director with Schlumberger Limited,
Governments that want to attract top international employees should take
account of the fact that talented workers need assurance that host countries
are welcoming. "Partners and spouses are often also highly educated, with
diverse professional backgrounds. If permitted to work, they too benefit the
local economy.''

Permits Foundation will now push for improved regulations at European
Council and Parliament level. "Spouse employment should be a key element of a
modern migration policy to support the attractiveness of Europe as a place to
do international business," said Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton.

Notes for the press:

More than 40 major international companies including AkzoNobel,
AstraZeneca, BMW, Bosch, BT, Ericsson, GlaxoSmithKline, Schlumberger, Shell,
Unilever and TNT support Permits Foundation. The Foundation has been
successful in contributing to change in the USA, France, The Netherlands,
Hong Kong and Malaysia. It is currently promoting improvements throughout the
European Union and several countries in Asia and is working to raise
awareness worldwide.

The EU Commission's proposals for ICT directive:
ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/malmstrom/archive/proposal_directive
_intra_corporate_transferees.pdf

Permits Foundation global survey summary:
www.permitsfoundation.com/docs/permits_survey_summary.pdf

Countries that allow spouses to work:
permitsfoundation.com/docs/Permits%20Country%20Summary%20March%202010.
pdf

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the space if one exists.)

www.permitsfoundation.com

Contact: Kathleen van der Wilk-Carlton tel:+31610220771 or Helen Frew tel +31650645582