In Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia there have been discussions on possible restrictions against workers from Bulgaria and Romania, who would migrate into these countries once their own have joined the EU.
EurActiv.sk asked Commissioner Spidla how these discussions go together with the same countries' demands to lift the current labour movement restrictions for their own workers in the EU-15.
The Commissioner answered that he has no information that any of the EU-8 countries are planning restrictions along the same lines as the ones twelve old EU countries have imposed on workers from the East. "At least concerning the Czech Republic and Poland, I hear stronger voices in the national discussions to the extent that, as a matter of principle, labour markets shall remain open for people from future member states. But it is still a very open question, it is too early to say anything concrete."
Commissioner Spidla recalled that, according to recent Commission research, in those countries who had allowed workers from the EU-8 to float in, "the free movement of labour contributed to the recipient countries´ economic and employment growth". He added that "the situation in the EU-15 shows that formal restrictions are not the only barrier to cross-border labour mobility in the EU – even without them mobility remains low.
Mobility is limited not only due to cultural and linguistic barriers, which are non-existent for example in the US, but also due to differences in the social security systems." The solution to this problem, Spidla said, citing the example of the portability of pension schemes, is "not harmonisation, but co-ordination".
To read the full interview click here.
