Brussels, 18/01/2006 (Agence Europe) - An in-depth study by the European Commission on the impact of central European workers who have moved West since the EU enlarged in May 2004 will be published on 8 February, looking at the application of restrictions imposed by 12 of the old 15 Member States. The report assesses the social and economic impact of workers moving to other Member States, based on statistics provided by Eurostat (the EU's Statistics Office) and consultation with national authorities and social partners (employers and trade unions). The report does not include any European Commission recommendations to Member States on whether or not they should gradually remove their temporary restrictions on workers from the new Member States coming to work in their countries from 1 May this year onwards. Member States will notify the European Commission about what they decide. Following up on its new report, the European Commission will publish a document on 20 February looking at worker mobility.
Of all the old 15 Member States, only the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden decided to give workers from the new Member States the right to work following enlargement. The Accession Treaty for the new Member States, signed in April 2003, allowed the old Member States to optionally introduce restrictions on the full application of the EU's freedom of movement in three phases, 2004-2006, 2006-2009, and 2009-2011. The Accession Treaty stipulated that the European Commission would publish its report before the end of the first phase on (that ends on 30 April 2006).
The immigration restrictions introduced on 1 May 2004 by 12 of the old 15 EU Member States is currently up for revision, and this has led to clashes between Member States wanting to keep the restrictions and Member States wanting workers from the new Member States to have full freedom of movement. Most of the 12 'restricting' old Member States seem to have decided to end the transition period of restrictions on new Member States' workers as from 1 May 2006. But Germany (where there is high unemployment) and Austria (chairing the Council of the EU, bordering on many new Member States) have made it clear they were standing together to fight off any easing of restrictions on foreign workers.
The College of Commissioners last week had angry exchanges on the issue when the Social Affairs Commissioner Vladimir Spidla (of the Czech Republic) tested his colleagues' opinions on the opening of labour markets to new Member States. He stressed the benefits to the old Member States to open up their borders but said it was up to them to decide whether to remove obstacles to the free circulation of workers. Most old Member States backed Commissioner Spidla's approach, with Commissioner Charlie McGreevy of Ireland, for example, supporting the new Member States, emphasising the positive effect of the new labour force in Ireland, one of the three EU15 Member States that does not enforce transitional restrictions. But Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner of Austria opposed easing restrictions on foreign workers. The College of Commissioners pointed out that the restrictions imposed during the transition period could have a negative impact, and the social partners are issuing serious warnings about the dangers of social dumping.
In Strasbourg on Tuesday, the Socialist group at the European Parliament issued a written statement calling for restrictions on the freedom of movement of workers to be lifted where it is appropriate. They argue that workers' freedom of movement will lead to the abolition of all forms of work discrimination based on the nationality of workers, whether in terms of pay or conditions. The Vice-President of the Socialist group, Jan-Marinus Wiersma, said the PES would be deciding on its opinion in the light of Commissioner Spidla's study. He welcomed the contribution of the new Member States to the debate to be held on the report and the restrictions agreed upon in the Accession Treaties. Wiersma said it was an important and sensitive issue and prudent assessment of restrictions on the freedom of workers from new Member States to work in some old Member States was required. At a press conference in Strasbourg, a series of MEPs came forward with arguments for lifting restrictions on foreign workers, namely Libor Roucek (Czech Republic), Csaba Tabajdi (Hungary), Genowefa Grabowska (Poland), Borut Pahor (Slovenia) and Monika Benova (Slovakia).