Accession of Bulgaria and Romania

In advance of reports that Bulgaria and Romania will enter the European Union on 1st January 2007, Business for New Europe has issued the following statement:

"We welcome this news. The EU's enlargement since 2004 to take in the countries of eastern Europe has been an undoubted success. It has benefited not only the incoming countries, but also the established member states.

Some Romanians and Bulgarians will no doubt want to work in other EU countries, including the UK. This is in accordance with the free movement of workers which is a fundamental principle of the EU.

As with previous enlargements, such migration can be expected to make an important contribution to the British economy, filling crucial skills gaps in the labour market. The UK can only benefit from the cream of eastern European talent.

We urge the government to open our labour markets at the earliest opportunity. This development should be viewed with celebration rather than cowardice."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. BNE’s aim is to support the UK’s active engagement in Europe, and a reformed, enlarged and free-market EU.

2 . BNE’s principles are as follows:
• We support the UK’s membership of the EU and oppose withdrawal to the margins; we support positive and constructive engagement with the EU as the only sensible approach and as vital to our national interests.
• We support a vision of a prosperous free-market Europe able to compete in a globalised
world.
• We support economic liberalisation and oppose excessive EU regulation, centralisation and red tape.
• We support institutional reform, further cooperation between EU member states where it is in Britain's interests and oppose old-fashioned federalism.
• We support the enlargement of the EU including Turkey, and recognise the benefits that the recent wave of enlargement have brought.

3. BNE is run on a day-to-day basis by Zaki Cooper (Director), whom is supported by Roland Rudd (Chairman) and Sir Stephen Wall and Sir Michael Jay (Vice-Chairs).

4. For further information about Business for New Europe, see www.bnegroup.org or contact +44 (0)207 256 6575, +44 (0) 7787 513 864 press@bnegroup.org