EU missing workers rights deadline

Brussels said on Monday that 12 EU countries had failed to notify the European Commission about whether or not they will tighten immigration controls on workers from Eastern European countries set to join the union on May 1.

According to an EU spokesman, only Germany, Belgium and Ireland met last week's deadline to tell EU regulators about planned working restrictions for workers from the ten new member states.

National governments have seven years to fully open their borders as part of EU's common market principles - the free movement of people, goods and capital.

Ireland, which holds the rotating EU presidency is the only country which has said it will not impose any restrictions.

France, Germany and Italy have said transition arrangements might be in place for up to seven years, while Denmark, Finland and Sweden are planning two year arrangements.

The Netherlands is planning to keep restrictions in place until May 2005.

According to UK press reports, British ministers will also look at implementing some kind of restrictions if UK jobs are threatened by an influx of workers.

But the European Commission maintains that this scenario is unlikely. "Let us be realistic about it," said an EU spokesman.

"Presently only 2 per cent of people in the EU work in another member state,"

"The new EU countries will receive significant amounts of structural funds and they will have larger markets for their goods after May 1.

This will make 'staying at home' a better proposition than moving abroad."

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