Tag: labour movement

Few of the EU's 'older' and wealthier member states continue to restrict access to their labour markets to workers from Eastern Europe, with Germany and Austria the only countries opting to maintain compulsory work permits until 2011.

In spite of the positive impact that labour immigration from eastern Europe has had on the British economy, the UK is unlikely to allow workers from Bulgaria and Romania in after the two countries' accession in January 2007.

The Bulgarian government would be well advised to attract workers who have found jobs abroad back to the country, said the chairman of Bulgaria's Economic and Social Council in an exclusive interview with EurActiv partner portal Dnevnik.bg.

A study out in Britain substantiates that labour migration from Eastern Europe has been "broadly positive." Meanwhile, Belgium appears determined to keep its labour market closed.

Effective from 1 May 2006, Finland and Spain are expected to relax the restrictions on the free movement of workers from the new EU member states.

The EU should put an end to the system of work permits for union citizens from the new member states, argues Tony Venables, director of the Brussels-based European Citizen Action Service (ECAS).

Should Austria fail to lift labour restrictions on the new member states next year, the Czech Republic says it will consider imposing similar restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers.

German President Horst Köhler has said during his visit to Bratislava that Berlin has no plans to lift labour movement restrictions on the EU-10 citizens.

In a new report, ECAS says that while the widely feared labour migration flow from East to West has never come about, information on the post-enlargement rights and conditions of migrant workers remains sparse.

A draft from the Dutch Presidency proposes that Turkey be subject to long transition periods and a permanent safeguard clause on the free movement of labour.

The first meeting of the enlarged Commission with the ten new commissioners has debated facts and fears over free movement of labour.

Germany and Austria to push for transition periods for workers after EU enlargement at Stockholm Summit