The Posted Workers Directive (96/71/EC), as substantially revised by Directive 2018/957, governs the terms and conditions that apply when an employer established in one EU member state temporarily sends workers to carry out services in another. The original 1996 text set a floor of minimum conditions; the 2018 amendment replaced that floor with the principle of equal pay, meaning posted workers are entitled to the same remuneration as local workers in equivalent roles, including any applicable collective agreement.
The revised Directive limits standard postings to 12 months, extendable to 18 months on notification. Beyond that threshold, the host country's entire labour law applies, with narrow exceptions for social-security rules. Member states must publish posting conditions on a single national website, and companies must notify the host authority before the posting begins.
For Netherlands-bound postings, employers register through the online notification portal (meldloket.nl) and must ensure compliance with the Dutch Minimum Wage Act and any sector-level collective agreements (CAO) that have been declared universally binding. Non-compliance can result in joint and several liability for the entire service chain.