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Reid to set new EU migrant rules Reid to set new EU migrant rules
(about 4 hours later)
Home Secretary John Reid is to outline plans to restrict Bulgarian and Romanian people's right to work in the UK when they join the EU next year. Limits on Bulgarians' and Romanians' right to work in the UK are to be unveiled by Home Secretary John Reid.
A Cabinet committee will decide whether to sign off plans which could include limits on work permit numbers or quotas for specific economic areas. The countries join the EU in January, and tougher rules are expected than the open door policy when another eight former communist states joined in 2004.
The UK had no restrictions when eight eastern European states joined in 2004. At that time the Home Office expected about 15,000 migrant workers a year - but 600,000 arrived in two years.
Bulgaria's minister for EU integration, Meglena Kuneva, said she was disappointed by the change of policy.Bulgaria's minister for EU integration, Meglena Kuneva, said she was disappointed by the change of policy.
'Workable' Only Britain, Ireland and Sweden chose to allow unrestricted access to their labour markets when the new states - the largest of which was Poland - joined the EU in 2004.
Up to 600,000 people came to the UK from the eight countries which joined the EU in 2004, far more than expected. We all want to be clear that anything that is proposed is workable and effective Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett href="/1/hi/world/europe/2266385.stm" class="">Q&A: EU enlargement
When Bulgaria and Romania join the EU in January, their citizens will be free to travel to the UK. Mr Reid is expected to say that, this time, there will be limits on work permit numbers and quotas for specific economic areas such as fruit-picking.
But Mr Reid is expected to say that while a limited number of unskilled workers will be taken on to carry out jobs like fruit-picking, the UK will not continue to operate an "open-door" policy regarding work. There have been reports of disagreement within Cabinet at the plans, with the Foreign Office opposed to the curbs because of the impact they might have on Britain's relations with the new EU states.
He is expected to make his announcement following the Cabinet committee meeting on Tuesday. But it appears Mr Reid has won that battle and a Cabinet committee is expected to sign off the plans, which are due to be announced by the Home Office on Tuesday morning.
Any restrictions could last for only up to seven years under EU rules. Everyone within the EU is allowed to travel and live wherever they want to within member states.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said any proposal needed to be "workable and effective". Black economy
"There's a great deal of discussion but we have actually not made any decisions yet," she told reporters after talks in London with European Union enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn. But when new members join, the EU's existing members are allowed to impose restrictions on the new EU citizens' right to work for up to seven years.
"What we should be wanting to do is to look very carefully at what is being considered. Some opponents of curbs warn that Romanian and Bulgarian migrants may be forced into the black economy if they are allowed to travel and live in the UK, but not allowed to work.
"We all understand that there are issues and there are concerns about our labour market.
"We all want to be clear that anything that is proposed is workable and effective."
BBC political correspondent Gary O'Donoghue said the danger for the government was that "if it makes the restrictions too tough, it could risk driving Romanian and Bulgarian migrants straight into the arms of the black economy".
'Be brave'
Bulgaria's Ms Kuneva said on BBC News 24 about 36,000 people would want to move to Britain from Bulgaria.Bulgaria's Ms Kuneva said on BBC News 24 about 36,000 people would want to move to Britain from Bulgaria.
She hoped they would have the same freedom as Polish workers who came to the UK when Poland joined in 2004.She hoped they would have the same freedom as Polish workers who came to the UK when Poland joined in 2004.
Mrs Kuneva described the UK's policy in 2004 as "very brave and very right", especially as the UK was one of only four who opened their borders. It's a little a bit strange why this policy isn't kept Meglena KunevaBulgarian minister href="/1/hi/uk_politics/5377332.stm" class="">Leaving Bulgaria for UK? href="/1/hi/world/europe/5380978.stm" class="">Romania to lose workers
Mrs Kuneva described the UK's policy in 2004 as "very brave and very right".
"It's a little a bit strange why this policy isn't kept [for Bulgaria]", she said."It's a little a bit strange why this policy isn't kept [for Bulgaria]", she said.
Baroness Scotland told the House of Lords on Monday the government's scheme would be "welcoming" while "safeguarding the best interests of the people of this country". And Raduta Matache, the acting Romanian ambassador to the UK, said she would have expected Britain to grant the same "non-discriminatory treatment" to Romanians, that had been given to Polish workers.
But Sir Andrew Green, of pressure group Migrationwatch, told the BBC the UK was already taking a "huge level" of immigration - and the government's plans marked a "turning point".
"It will be the first time the government has acknowledged the really serious concern throughout Britain about the scale of all this," he said.
On Monday Baroness Scotland told the House of Lords the government's scheme would be "welcoming" while "safeguarding the best interests of the people of this country".
The government had also "learnt a great deal" from Polish workers, whose arrival had benefited the country, she added.The government had also "learnt a great deal" from Polish workers, whose arrival had benefited the country, she added.