(Brussels) The new European Labour Authority (ELA) will start working in October and will be headquartered in Bratislava. The decision was taken today at the meeting of the EU ministers for Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs, chaired by Romanian Minister Marius-Constantin Budai, that is underway in Luxembourg. The ministers adopted the regulation establishing the ELA and chose its seat from a shortlist of four (Sofia, Nicosia and Riga were the three other candidate cities). Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Marianne Thyssen, congratulated the city of Bratislava and the government of Slovakia “for being chosen” and called the ELA “the jewel in the crown” of a work aimed at achieving “fair labour mobility” with “rules that are fair, clear and effectively enforced”. “The European Labour Authority will support labour mobility and give EU Member States the tools they need to cooperate more effectively and fight abuse”, Commissioner Thyssen said, adding that the ELA will start operating from Brussels until it moves to its host city of Bratislava, upon completion of its headquarters.