Stakeholder response: Federation of Small Businesses

John Walker, FSB national policy chairman, said: "The government agreed to the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the EU. 

"For it to now want to put up barriers to that entry makes no sense.

"Under this proposal anyone from the two new member states will be able to come to Britain but not all will be given the right to work.

"It will create a mess and employers will be caught in the middle of it.

"Businesses will not accept being asked to become pseudo-immigration officers by the government. 

"After treating the previous new entrants in one way, which was clear for all to deal with, the differing treatment for Bulgarian and Romanian workers is unfair to them and to small businesses."

Stakeholder Response: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

John Philpott, CIPD’s chief economist said: "While the steady flow of workers from central and eastern Europe since 2004 has had an overall beneficial effect on the UK economy, there has been evident pressure on social infrastructure and possible adverse consequences for less skilled workers and disadvantaged communities.

"There is therefore a prima facie case for restricting access of less skilled Bulgarians and Romanians to the UK labour market when these countries join the EU early in 2006.    

"But ministers will need to demonstrate that any restrictions placed on migrants from these countries are imposed for genuine economic and social reasons and not to appease mounting anti-immigration sentiment.

"Politically inspired immigration measures would be economically harmful and damage the UK’s reputation for promoting sensible labour market reform in Europe.

"The UK must remain at the forefront of policy efforts to advance the important economic goal of increased labour mobility within the enlarged EU, which would improve the flexibility of the EU economies as a whole, help tackle structural unemployment, aid UK employers and consumers and further the common good."

More information is available here: http://www.cipd.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases.htm