Old member states remain split over easing labour access

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^-A ⁺A

Published 02 May 2006, updated 28 May 2012

Tags

mobility, worker mobility

Finland, Greece, Portugal and Spain have decided to open up their labour markets to EU-8 citizens. However, the Union's strongest economies continue to keep their restrictions in place.

For the next three years, the EU's strongest economies will remain partly or fully closed to workers from the EU-8 states. Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands will continue to keep their doors closed to job hunters from Eastern Europe (the Dutch may ease the restrictions by 2007). Meanwhile, Finland, Greece, Portugal and Spain have decided to adopt the EU's open-border policy.

EU-15 states	Status
Austria	Work permit obligation remains
Belgium	Work permit obligation remains. Will ease procedure in certain sectors or occupations
Britain	Labour market remains open
Denmark	Will phase out restrictions in next 3 years
Ireland	Labour market remains open
Italy	Work permit obligation remains. Will increase quota for foreign workers
Finland	Opens labour market fully to EU-8
France	Work permit obligation remains, except for certain professions. Will gradually relax restrictions on a sector-by-sector basis
Germany	Work permit obligation remains
Greece	Opens labour market fully to EU-8
Luxembourg	Work permit obligation remains. Will ease procedure in certain sectors or occupations
Netherlands	Limited opening of labour market expected in January 2007. Decision still pending in parliament
Portugal	Opens labour market fully to EU-8
Spain	Opens labour market fully to EU-8
Sweden	Opens labour market fully to EU-8

Positions:

"Free movement of all workers in the EU is our goal," Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla said recently. "The distinction between old and new member states should disappear as soon as possible." Commenting on the fact that some member states have decided to make concessions, Spidla said that "I am convinced that this move will be to the great benefit of European workers and economy alike. It will give a strong impetus to those member states that have kept restrictions and I hope that they will gradually lift restrictions in the coming years."

In a report scheduled to be published on 3 May, the Financial Times has said that the Commission will argue that the 2004 enlargement of the Union has been a clear economic success and that it has not upset the labour market balance in any of the member states.

According to the Bruegel think-tank, the EU should offer highly skilled immigrants the right to take up jobs in any of the 25 member states. "Highly skilled immigration is likely to increase welfare among the host country population since both efficiency and equity are likely to be improved," a recent Bruegel report said. Bruegel has also proposed the introduction of a European 'Blue Card' to all graduates of European and other top universities which would allow the holders to work anywhere in the Union.

External Links

European Union

Commission:2006 – the European Year of Workers' mobility

Press articles

Financial Times:Expansion benefits EU, says Brussels
BBC News:EU split over easing job access
icWales:EU states stall on access for job hunters from east
Reuters:EU must woo foreign talent with work rights - report
Ceske Noviny:France to open labour market for selected professions
RTBF:La "Vieille Europe" entrouve sa porte aux travailleurs de l'Est
EuroNews:Bienvenue au travailleur polonais, hongrois ou encore slovaque !
Wiener Zeitung:Freier Arbeitsmarkt in der EU für Mittel- und Ost-Europäer wächst

Français

Background:

On the second anniversary of the EU's last enlargement round, the old member states were expected to declare themselves by 1 May on whether they intend to keep or change their prior labour market policies towards workers from the new member states. The Commission has urged all old member states to remove their national restrictions, pointing out that the Union's May 2004 enlargement has not resulted in an exodus of workers from the East.

Under the Accession Treaty, the old member states were entitled to introduce 'transitional measures' on the movement of workers from eight new member states (EU-8), as Cyprus and Malta have been exempted from the outset.

The EU has declared 2006 the European Year of Workers' Mobility.

By 2011, all EU member states are bound to remove labour movement restrictions.