10/09/2026
Publiek geld mag geen uitbuiting betalen. In Roemenië werden Vietnamese bouwvakkers uitgebuit op projecten die met publiek geld en EU‑middelen werden betaald. Lange dagen (werkweken van 60 uur voor minder dan €600 per maand!), lage lonen, slechte huisvesting en niemand die ingreep.
Deze week komt de Europese Commissie met nieuwe regels voor aanbestedingen. Belangrijk, want de goedkoopste offerte betekent te vaak: slechte arbeidsvoorwaarden.
Publiek geld moet zorgen voor eerlijk werk en goede werkgevers, maar niet voor uitbuiting.
What happens when public money is spent without enough accountability?
In 2019, VICE Romania exposed the exploitation of around 200 Vietnamese construction workers on publicly funded renovation projects in Bucharest.
Workers lived in overcrowded accommodation, worked up to 60-hour weeks and earned less than €600 a month. Isolated by language, dependent on their employer for accommodation and far from any support network, the workers were left particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
The projects were financed through public procurement using public money and EU funds. On Wednesday, the European Commission will publish its proposal to revise the EU's public procurement rules. The proposal will mark the beginning of a legislative process that trade unions must influence at both the European and national levels.
There is a great deal of public money in construction, but the cheapest offer is often the wrong price. Public money shapes the market and should promote direct employment and responsible business models.
