In early May, 10 countries of Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean will become members of the European Union. Some expectations that the populations of these countries associated with joining the EU will now have to be somewhat toned down. In principle, all workers of the European Union have the right to work without restrictions throughout the space of this continental organization. However, as May 2004 approaches, more and more EU countries are rushing to introduce restrictions to protect themselves from the onslaught of job seekers.
The only EU country that so far imposes no restrictions in this regard is Ireland, which currently holds the presidency of the European Union. Others - among them Germany and Austria, which directly border the newcomers - from the very beginning secured a seven-year transition period for themselves, during which labor from Eastern Europe will face restrictions on the German and Austrian labor markets. Now Belgium and Finland have joined them.
Now both Sweden and Denmark have announced that they will issue work permits only to those who can present a corresponding employment contract. The Swedish prime minister said it would be naive to expect Sweden to open its borders while other EU countries close their doors to labor from Eastern Europe. As recently as recently, Britain was talking about workers from the new Europe as a source of long-awaited economic revival. Now, however, the British are also introducing restrictions on the influx of labor for two years. Tony Blair said in this regard that he wanted to scare off 'benefit tourists' who, he said, would only want to take advantage of the social benefits of old Europe.
Greece, Spain, and France have also introduced a two-year restriction period. Spain has agreed with Poland on quotas for labor in the construction sector. The Italian labor market would seem to be open to Eastern Europeans. But under pressure from his minister for economic reforms from the Northern League, Prime Minister Berlusconi will likely also impose restrictions.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that during the first two years after enlargement, European Commission experts do not at all necessarily have to receive from the 15 old EU members a report on the restrictive measures in force in these countries. Only after two years are the old EU members obliged to submit to Brussels a list of restrictive measures that can be extended for another five years.
According to European Commission estimates, about a quarter of a million citizens of the countries now joining the EU will want to work in Western and Southern Europe. This number does not include members of the liberal professions, small entrepreneurs, and their family members. Even now, for example, 250,000 Poles are working in Germany, but mainly in seasonal agricultural work. According to OSCE migration experts, the desire to leave one's homeland in search of work in the new EU members is not so great.
The European commissioner responsible for EU enlargement, Günter Verheugen, is not very pleased with the uncertainty of the situation that arose because the EU did not agree on common rules during the enlargement negotiations. But in Brussels they point out that new EU citizens, after concluding appropriate agreements with an employer, become holders of the full package of rights of old Europeans.
Experts fear that all these restrictions not only demonstrate the hypocrisy of old Europe, but will also cause an expansion of illegal employment. After all, after May 1, 2004, any new European can come to the West without a visa and disappear into the not very transparent black labor market.