Madrid, 25 March 2015 – As of last Friday, the Spanish Union of Professionals and Self-employed Workers (UPTA), forms part of the European Federation of Independent Professionals (EFIP); an organisation that represents the interests of the more than 25 million self-employed Europeans.

UPTA will represent Spain in the Federation, which includes organisations from countries such as France, Italy, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Rumania, Poland and Croatia.

Policies that UPTA will defend through EFIP for all European self-employed workers include, among others, improving access to training and services, visibility in official statistics and data, improving legislation which specifically considers the unique needs of independent professionals, the appointment of a Self-employed envoy to defend the benefits of self-employment and the attainment of support for independent professionals aimed at achieving the foundation necessary for the self-employed prosper economically and socially.

"It is important that European self-employed workers, and therefore the Spaniards, have a common voice in Europe, a structure to submit proposals to improve the activities of independent workers and to achieve common policies to improve the situation of this group in all the EU member countries,” said secretary of Institutional Policy and International UPTA, César García.

Another aspect to be addressed urgently with the EU by this Federation is the process of transnational mobility of Freelancers and Independent Professionals. "We want to ensure that there are no boundaries professionally for European freelancers and self-employed workers, and this requires that Europe take steps in this direction," says the executive secretary of UPTA

Because of the experience accumulated by the Spanish organisation in legislative matters, UPTA will form part of EFIP in the commission of Policy and Action Regulation. It will draw up proposals and forward these to the EU, negotiating their approval with the different parliamentary groups in the European Parliament

"Here there are no personal interests, but a great desire to improve the situation of the European self-employed, their capacity to generate employment and economic improvement. We are aware that the task will be difficult, because we have to convince many institutions and to reach agreement in many countries, but we are starting with high hopes and great expectations, "says Garcia.

The next General Assembly EFIP will be held in Rome on June 25.

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