New agreement lifts the transition rules for workers from the East European EU countries
On the first of May 2009 the Danish transitional arrangement (TA) for migrant workers from all of the Eastern European EU countries, including Romania and Bulgaria, will cease to apply. This is the result of a new political agreement between the government and the group of political parties behind the Danish TA which comprises Denmark’s Liberal Party, the Conservative People’s Party, the Danish Social Democrats, the Socialist People’s Party and the Danish Social-Liberal Party.
When the EU was expanded with the eight Eastern European countries in 2004, a TA was introduced for migrant workers from the Eastern European countries. Bulgaria and Romania were also covered by the transitional rules as they became EU members in 2007. For a long time there has been political consensus to phase out the scheme and it has now been decided that also employees from Bulgaria and Rumania should have the same terms as employees from other EU countries.
- The Danish transitional arrangement has been a success. Following the EU’s expansion, it was crucial for us to ensure that organised conditions on the Danish labour market prevailed. We can now see that the transitional rules have functioned as intended and that the Eastern European workers have found a place on the labour market in a calm and orderly manner Therefore, we no longer need the transitional arrangement, says Minister for Employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen.
A number of initiatives have been taken to ensure that orderly conditions continue to prevail on the Danish labour market after the end of the transitional rules. For example, a register of foreign service providers (the RUT register) and a pool for information about rules on the Danish labour market have been introduced, and the Tax Authorities, the Danish Working Environment Authority, and the police have made free movement as a special area of focus. This work will continue in close cooperation between the labour market parties and relevant authorities.
- Workers from Eastern Europe have contributed positively to counteracting the lack of labour and in so doing have promoted growth and employment in Denmark. I am pleased that the scare campaigns against foreign labour have been taken to task, says Claus Hjort Frederiksen.
Facts:
The number of persons from the new EU countries with work permits reached its peak in August 2007 where approx. 13,000 persons had work permits. Since then the number has declined and at the end of October, there were approx. 8,800 employees from the new EU countries. Of these, 5,720, or 65%, were from Poland. The second largest group of 841 persons were from Lithuania. From Rumania there were 796 persons and 355 persons from Bulgaria.
