Uitzendkrachten

A daily briefing on European HR, labour law and compliance developments for SME HR teams across the EU, UK, Switzerland and the Nordics. Top story: EU AI Act transparency rules take effect on 2 August, even as high-risk deadline shifts to 2027 This Friday, 2 August, marks the EU AI Act's next enforcement milestone, and it matters for every employer using AI in HR. The Digital Omnibus, agreed by the European Parliament and Council in June 2026, postpones the full high-risk compliance regime for employment-related AI systems (Annex III) from 2 August 2026 to 2 December 2027. That covers the heaviest obligations: risk management systems, technical documentation, conformity assessment, bias testing and human oversight controls. However, the Omnibus leaves the Article 50 transparency obligations and the Article 4 AI literacy duty on their original timeline. From 2 August, deployers must disclose when people are interacting with an AI system, when content is artificially generated or manipulated (including deepfakes), and providers of generative AI must mark outputs in a machine-readable format. The AI literacy duty, which requires employers to ensure that staff operating AI systems have a sufficient level of understanding, has applied since 2 February 2025. For HR teams, the practical implications are immediate. If you use AI-powered chatbots in recruitment, automated CV screening tools, AI-assisted performance reviews or AI-generated internal communications, you need transparency disclosures in place by Friday. The full high-risk compliance regime for these employment AI systems now lands in December 2027, giving employers a 16-month runway to build the governance scaffolding. But treating that extension as permission to stop preparing would be a mistake: the systems that will be high-risk in 2027 are the same ones you're deploying today. Penalties for Article 50 violations can reach up to €15 million or 3% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. Publication of the Omnibus in the Official Journal is expected before 30 July; until it is formally published, the original AI Act deadlines remain the operative law. What to do: Map every AI tool used in your HR processes and determine whether it falls under Article 50. Ensure chatbot and AI-interaction disclosures are visible to candidates and employees before Friday. Confirm that your team has documented AI literacy measures in place. Use the 16-month extension to December 2027 to work through the full high-risk compliance requirements, starting with classification mapping now. Also developing Netherlands: An amendment to Article 8 of the Waadi (Labour Allocation by Intermediaries Act) took effect on 1 July 2026, requiring temporary staffing agencies to match the total employment package of comparable direct employees, not just base pay. The change closes a long-standing loophole: agencies must now equalise bonuses, allowances and other employment conditions, making the cost of hiring through an agency virtually identical to a direct hire in the same role. The rule applies to all temporary agency assignments currently running and any new placements from 1 July onward. What to do: If you use agency workers in the Netherlands, review your staffing contracts to confirm that the agency is meeting the full equal-treatment standard. Compare the total package (including bonuses and allowances) against what a comparable direct employee receives. Agencies that have not updated their terms may be exposing both themselves and the host company to claims. Poland: On 19 June, the Sejm passed a landmark amendment to the Labour Code overhauling the rules on workplace bullying (mobbing) and discrimination. The bill simplifies the definition of mobbing to "persistent harassment," removing the requirement that the behaviour be prolonged over an extended period. Minimum compensation for mobbing victims rises to six times the statutory minimum wage. Employers with nine or more employees will be required to have internal regulations setting out prevention, detection and response procedures for bullying and discrimination. The bill also introduces "discrimination by assumption" and "discrimination by association" as distinct categories. It is currently before the Senate, with entry into force expected in early 2027 after a six-month vacatio legis. What to do: Polish employers should begin drafting or updating internal anti-mobbing policies now, even though the rules are not yet final. The requirement for formal prevention procedures will apply to all employers with nine or more staff, and the six-month preparation window will pass quickly once the law is signed. Sweden: New work permit salary thresholds took effect on 1 June, requiring a minimum salary of SEK 33,390 per month (90% of the Swedish median) for non-EU labour immigration. Around 20 shortage occupations, including healthcare, IT and metal-working roles, are exempted at a lower 75% threshold. From 11 June, additional exemptions apply to former international students seeking work permits, healthcare professionals obtaining Swedish licences and employees at qualifying tech or life-science startups. A broader list of 152 shortage occupations is still pending final approval. Separately, on 9 July the government proposed a major overhaul to the single permit regime from 1 February 2027: work permits would no longer be tied to a specific employer or profession, the unemployment retention period would extend to six months and permit durations could reach two years. What to do: If you hire non-EU workers in Sweden, verify that current and planned salaries meet the new thresholds and check whether any roles qualify for the shortage exemption. Keep an eye on the single permit reform proposals, which would significantly increase flexibility for both employers and workers from February 2027. On the radar Belgium, 1 August notice period (previously covered): The one-week notice period during the first six months of employment takes effect this Friday for new indefinite-term contracts. UK, zero-hours contracts consultation (previously covered): Closes 25 August 2026. EU Platform Workers Directive (previously covered): Member states must transpose by 2 December 2026. Sources Jones Walker: Yes, August 2 still matters: the EU approved a high-risk AI delay, but most transparency obligations remain (16 July 2026) Responsible AI Platform: The Digital Omnibus and the postponement of high-risk obligations to December 2027 (13 June 2026) Crowell and Moring: Artificial intelligence and human resources in the EU, a 2026 legal overview Morgan Lewis: Changes to EU AI Act deadlines, what it means for employers and HR technology providers (June 2026) Asanify: Netherlands agency equal pay digest (21 July 2026) People2.0: Netherlands equal pay requirements transform agency worker rights Dudkowiak: Poland's workplace mobbing rules are changing in 2026 Conventus Law: Anti-mobbing Act 2026 in Poland, more disputes, higher claims, mandatory prevention Addleshaw Goddard: HR in the Know, mobbing and workplace bullying amendments passed by Sejm Swedish Migration Agency: New rules for work permits come into force (1 June 2026) VisaVerge: Swedish businesses urge fast work permit exemption for 152 occupations Fragomen: Sweden proposed reforms to single permit regime Europe HR Compliance Pulse is an informational summary of publicly reported legal and regulatory developments. It is not legal advice. Always confirm obligations for your specific situation and market with a qualified adviser.