Italy discriminates against foreign lecturers

Italy is failing to comply with EU rules on free movement of workers and it discriminates against foreign lecturers, the EU has found.

Under EU law, EU citizens who exercise their right to free movement must not be discriminated against because of their nationality as regards access to employment and working conditions. In a 2004 ruling the European Court of Justice stated that a 2004 Italian law provides an acceptable framework for the so-called reconstruction of careers of foreign lecturers, Lettori, in Italian universities.

This means that the law allows for the adjustment of their salary, seniority and corresponding social security benefits to those of a researcher under a part-time contract, and it grants them the right to back payments as of the start of their employment.

However, Italian law requires the signing of a collective agreement.

The majority of universities did not sign such a collective agreement, the result being that most foreign lecturers have still not received the money to which they are entitled. Italy is still discriminating against foreign lecturers. Italy now has two months to address the shortcomings identified by the Commission.

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