FREE MOVEMENT OF WORKERS : PARLIAMENT URGES "OLD EUROPE" TO OPEN ITS DOORS.

In spite of last-minute discussions within political groups on Tuesday night (notably at the EPP) the European Parliament on 5 April made a point of "calling on all member states to lift transitional measures" applied to workers from the new East European member states (EU8).

Adopting the own-initiative report by Hungarian MEP Csaba Ory (EPP-ED) by a show of hands, MEPs emphasised that "there are no signs of strain on the labour markets of the member states which have opted for openness without restrictions and that fears of massive migration have proved groundless". Indeed migration from the new member states has benefited the economies of countries that have opened their labour markets.

MEPs also highlight the risks inherent in the transitional regime: a sharp increase in undeclared work and bogus freelance work, unfair working conditions, discrimination and exploitation of migrant workers. Fear is not a grounding for sound advice. Some member states believe that by closing off employment markets there will be no problem. However, there are problems since if people cannot enter legally they do so illegally, Ria Oomen-Ruijten (CDA/EPP, the Netherlands) told the debate on 4 April.

Alluding to her own country, Elisabeth Schroedter (Greens, Germany) suggested that governments putting such measures in place and claiming to be protecting people against low wages are merely throwing up a smokescreen. Summing up the debate, former Polish Prime Minister Jan Kulakowski (UW/ADLE) insisted freedom is important.

BETTER APPLICATION OF LABOUR LAW

In general, MEPs urge the Commission and the member states to ensure strict enforcement of labour law in order to ensure equal treatment of all European Union workers and to guarantee fair competition between enterprises and prevent social dumping. They call on the Commission to step up cross-border collaboration between work inspection services and to examine the scope for establishing a "social Europol", a form of European network for cooperation between these services.

NON-EU NATIONALS

MEPs also denounce the fact...