A series of European Union member states have in recent days clarified their policies on whether Bulgarians and Romanians will be admitted to their labour markets after the two countries join the EU.
During a visit to Sofia, French minister-delegate for European affairs Catherine Colonna confirmed that from January 1 2007, France will open its labour market to Bulgarians and Romanians in sectors where France cannot adequately meet its labour needs. Migrant workers will be allowed in a total of 52 labour sectors such as agriculture, tourism and construction.
Colonna said that France would open its labour market for the two new EU members immediately after accession, and not after two years as was France's policy towards the 10 states that joined the EU in 2004. Paris was the first to announce the partial opening of the labour market for Bulgarians and Romanians will start on January 1 2009 according the same strategy, valid for the 10 new accessed in 2004 countries.
Belgium’s labour market will be partly open to Bulgarians and Romanians. On principle, Belgium plans to open its labour market to EU citizens in 2009. The decision is currently being prepared, but is expected to be made official only after the parliamentary elections in June 2007, Bulgarian news agency BTA reported on December 4.
To date all three regions in Belgium have prepared lists of occupations where there is a labour shortage and where Bulgarians can be employed. Employers can issue a special certificate with which employees should register at the relevant municipality in order to be granted the right to sojourn in Belgium. The list of Flanders, the economically most developed region in Belgium, includes 112 occupations, that of Wallonia 91 and that of Brussels capitol 25, according to BTA. The listed occupations include various engineering specialties, IT, legal advisers, hoteliers, mechanics, turners, electricians and secretaries, as well as certified nurses, social workers and commercial and agricultural workers.
On December 1, Czech prime minister Mirek Topolanec confirmed that the Czech government had decided to open its labour market without restrictions for the two new accession countries.
“As we don’t want to become victims of free movement restrictions, we can’t make Bulgarians and Romanians victims, either,” Topolanec said. Prague would have market protection measures that would be put into effect if necessary, he said.
Lithuania is opening its labour market to Bulgarians and Romanians. Lithuania believes that the unrestricted right to labour on the territory of the EU is among the EU’s main freedoms, a government statement said.
A report by Reuters on December 4 said that Greece would open its labour market to Bulgarians and Romanians, but the state administration sector would remain closed to citizens of the two countries for a period of two years.
Reuters quoted a high-ranking official from Greece's employment ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying: “A transition period of two years for employment in Greece’s state administration sector will be introduced for applicants from Bulgaria and Romania. After this period the issue will be reconsidered”.
On November 17, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) said that Norway - not an EU member state - was considering an open door policy for workers from Bulgaria and Romania once the two countries became EU member states.
Norway had already benefited from the migration of Eastern European workers, after the 2004 EU enlargement, BNR said.
Keeping the labour market open for workers from Bulgaria and Romania was in the best interest of Norway, secretary of state in the ministry of labour and social inclusion Jan-Erik Stostad said.
The Norwegian labour ministry was going to come up with measures guaranteeing the equal treatment and payment of workers from Bulgaria and Romania, said Stostad.
While not an EU member state, Norway has an agreement with the EU concerning the free movement of people.
At the same time, Iceland announced that it would limit the access of foreign workers to its labour market. Iceland acted in the same manner after the 2004 enlargement. Restrictions will be valid for a period of two years, BNR said.
Countries that so far have announced the opening of their labour markets to Bulgarians and Romanians include Latvia, Estonia, Slovakia, Poland, Sweden, Cyprus and Finland. Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Belgium and the Netherlands are expected to impose restrictions. Denmark is taking a transitional approach to opening its labour market.
Minimum wage change
The minimum wage in Bulgaria will increase from the current 160 leva to 180 leva as of January 1 2007, the Cabinet decided on December 5. The minimum hourly wage will go up from 0.95 leva to 1.07 leva.
