By Peggy Corlin - 23rd July 2006
Italy has lifted curbs on the free movement of workers from new EU members in eastern Europe.
Italian leader Romano Prodi, who as former European commission president oversaw EU enlargement in 2004, decided last Friday to open up Italy’s labour market to eastern workers.
Italy is the eighth old EU15 member state to loosen restrictions to the entrance of workers from new EU countries, mainly in central and eastern Europe.
“From now on, we can be Italian in Poland and Polish in Italy, being at the same time European citizens with the same rights,” Italian internal minister Giuliano Amato said.
The European commission highlighted potential positive economic outcomes for Italy’s economy.
“Opening up its market to citizens from all the EU’s member states will benefit the Italian economy and the whole country,” said employment commissioner Vladimír Špidla.
Brussels has focused on high growth rates in UK, Sweden and Ireland, the only EU15 countries not to have curbed entry for new EU workers since enlargement.
Spain, Portugal, Finland and Greece put an end to restrictions on May 1 2006 while Germany and Austria kept restrictions.
France decided to free up limited categories of workers needed on the national labour market and to keep restrictions in place for others.
Member states can maintain barrier to the freedom of movement of new EU workers until 2011.
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