A number of UK officials said that Bulgarian and Romanian workers would experience labour market restrictions in EU member states, once the two countries joined the union.

UK would decide this autumn whether to impose such restrictions or to keep its labour market open like it did during the previous enlargement wave in 2004, Financial Times reported.

Financial Times reported that the migration of workers from the new member states in 2004 proved favourable for the UK economy.

Initial predictions estimated that nearly 13 000 workers from Central and East European countries would seek work in the UK. At least 300 000 people entered the UK as a result of the open labour market policy.

Representatives of leading UK parties said the number of Bulgarian and Romanian workers to travel could be even higher as the economies of the two countries were not that developed.

Concerns arose from the inability of social institutions and services to deal with the high number of migrant workers, Financial Times reported. Problems with human and drug trafficking could also occur more often, the report said.