EU court backs sex trade rights

The EU says prostitutes can work in member state where the sex trade is legal

LUXEMBOURG -- Prostitutes from eastern Europe have a legal right to work in any European Union country where selling sex is tolerated, the EU's top court has ruled.

The European Court of Justice found in favour of four prostitutes from Poland and the Czech Republic in a ruling on Tuesday.

The four had been denied work permits by authorities in the Netherlands, where Dutch sex workers are allowed to ply their trade.

The four women rented "window rooms" to advertise and perform their services in Amsterdam's red-light district.

The city allows regulated prostitution and the women declared their monthly salaries of up to 1,800 guilders ($722).

QUICKVOTE Should prostitutes have workers' rights? Yes No View Results

But when they were refused work permits on the grounds that prostitution was not a regular job they launched a lawsuit.

The case went to the EU court which ruled that the sex trade, if it is legal, should not be treated differently from any other trade.

Poland and the Czech Republic -- both candidates to join the EU -- have long-standing agreements with the Western bloc that allows their citizens to establish businesses there.

The court said this should apply to prostitution in the same way as it would to any other trade.

"The activity of prostitution pursued in a self-employed capacity can be regarded as a service provided for remuneration." the judgment said.

"It is not for the court to substitute its own assessment for that of the legislatures of the member states where an allegedly immoral activity is practiced legally."