EU10: let our workers in

By Anna McLauchlin

Date: 19/01/06

Leaders from the EU's new member states have expressed anger and disappointment at the refusal of the old EU to open its labour markets.

Czech Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek last night (18 January) interrupted a visit to the Indian government to call the former Czech premier Vladimir Spidla, now the European commissioner for employment and social affairs, to discuss the issue.

"We cannot be satisfied with such an approach by a significant part of the EU15 and we will put our efforts into further negotiations," Paroubek told European Voice prior to speaking with Spidla.

A Polish diplomat said that Employment Minister Krzysztof Michalkiewicz would use the informal Employment Council in Villach (19-21 January) to lobby those countries that want to prolong their ban on migrant workers.

"This barrier on one of the four freedoms is a very emotional issue for many Polish people as it gives the impression that we simply have a second-rank membership," he said.

The issue exploded in Brussels this week after it emerged that European commissioners were deeply divided over whether to recommend lifting the current bans in a report to be published on 8 February.

Spidla's recommendation to lift the restrictions is being challenged by Austria's Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. Both Austria and Germany are particularly concerned that their proximity to the new member states will lead to a flood of cheap workers.

All member states except the UK, Ireland and Sweden introduced a two-year ban in 2004 and must decide by 1 May this year whether to extend it for a further three years.

Poland is worried that the report will be delayed as a result of the row, the diplomat said.

"We hoped it would be a solid analysis of the situation and have an influence on the heads of state and government meeting in March. If it is delayed then the impact will be weakened," he added.

Poland's Foreign Minister Stefan Meller said that in those countries with an open door policy, "movement from the new member states has been limited, which underlines the myth that all member states which open their labour markets risk massive immigration. We hope that the Commission report expected in February will go in the same direction and explain that there are no reasons to maintain transitional arrangements".

But yesterday (18 January) Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel insisted that the restrictions would not be lifted in Austria. "We have to find a balance between opening up the market and preventing our own system from being damaged," he told MEPs in Strasbourg.

A Commission spokesman said that Finland and Spain have signalled that they might lift the restrictions, although Belgium and Portugal are also said to be considering it.

A Finnish spokesman said that the final decision would be based on the results of a study on the impact that removing the barriers would have on Finland's labour markets, to be published by the beginning of February.

Article anticipates the European Commission's recommendation whether EU-15 Member States should lift the current restrictions on access to their labour markets for workers from the new Member States. The Commission's report was expected to be published on 8 February 2006.