The question of whether Poles, Lithuanians, Czechs and other new Europeans would flood the cities of old Europe was actively discussed before EU enlargement. The issue was particularly acute in Germany and France, which were already suffering from high unemployment. As a result, only three EU countries - Britain, Ireland and Denmark - waived quarantine measures, opening their labour markets to new EU citizens right from 1 May 2004.
The fact that the other states decided to wait several years before lifting all restrictions meant, as the British Home Office explains, that the majority of Eastern Europeans headed for the United Kingdom. In total, 230,000 people had received work permits by July 2005.
The 'Polish plumber' has become a household name in Western Europe. This image was used by Britain's right-wing parties before the elections. It was also exploited by opponents of the EU constitution ratification in France. Both warned that the influx of new migrants would drive down wages and lead to rising unemployment.
In some sectors, the fears proved justified. The Times found that some seasonal agricultural workers from the East were willing to work for £4.85 an hour, one and a half times below the average wage in the industry. However, there are actually few plumbers among the arrivals - only 95 people.
British employers and the Home Office say that the new Europeans helped fill vacancies in the country. A study by the Ministry of Labour says that the influx contributed to a sharp growth in a number of sectors of the economy, without leading to a sharp rise in wages.
The ministry assesses the effect of opening the borders as 'rather positive'. The consequences could be unpleasant for citizens of non-EU countries - to compensate for the influx of Poles, Balts and Czechs, the government may reduce the number of work permits for non-Europeans.
Of those who came from Eastern Europe, more than 40,000 work in factories, 11,000 in restaurants, the same number pack goods in various companies, about 10,000 on British farms, 5,000 on construction sites, and almost 2,000 drive buses and lorries. Among the new immigrants there are many nurses, teachers, doctors, dentists, cleaners and even 10 circus performers.
The vast majority came from Poland - more than 130,000 people. From little Slovenia, which also became an EU member last year, only 250 people. But in proportion to the total population, Lithuania is the undisputed leader. 34,000 Lithuanians work in Britain, i.e. almost one in a hundred able-bodied citizens of that Baltic country. Only 5% of workers brought their families with them, 85% are young people under 34, and 60% are men.
Fears that opening the borders would force the British state to pay out tens of thousands of benefits proved unfounded. However, just over one and a half thousand people applied for social benefits, and about a hundred received them.
While until now the vast majority of arrivals settled in Greater London, now more and more new Europeans are moving to other regions of the country - London is too expensive for them.
In Scotland, which pursues an active policy of attracting foreigners, the number of work permits issued to Eastern Europeans doubled in a year.