Brussels endorses free movement for "Polish plumbers"

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 8th Feb 2006

As EU leaders prepare to decide if labour restrictions on workers from new EU states should end, the European Commission says figures prove the flow of migrant workers from central & eastern Europe is limited, too small to affect the jobs market in Western Europe.

The twelve 'old' EU countries that - unlike the UK Ireland and Sweden - are maintaining barriers to free movement until 2007 may find that they perversely create a headache with illegal workers disturbing their national job markets.

London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford said:

"This adds to the strong moral argument for full liberalisation. It is horribly ironic that just as the 8 ex-Communist countries voted for freedom in joining the EU, they faced 'Old Europe' barriers to mobility."

"EU leaders must now have the political courage to face down the scare-mongering stirring up resentment of new workers, as symbolised by the 'Polish plumber' bogeyman in France and Holland."

"It's outrageous that the French supermarket chain Carrefour can flourish in Poland (alongside Britain's Tesco) while Polish workers cannot get jobs in Carrefour branches in France."

The European Liberal Democrat group in the European Parliament has requested a debate in the March plenary session about the fact that non-EU immigrant workers are now in a better position than those from the new Member states. According to an EU Directive that came into force 2 weeks ago, a foreign worker from say, South America, who has been legally resident in one Member for 5 years can access employment in all Member States.

Sarah Ludford, who was lead MEP in drawing up that Directive, commented:

"It's absurd for countries like Germany to treat the guy from Buenos Aries better than the one from Budapest. Free movement for EU citizens is a right, not a concession, and it must be honoured."

"In London of course, we say the more plumbers the better!"