Business leaders call for open market approach towards Bulgaria and Romania

If Bulgaria and Romania join the EU at the beginning of next year, the UK should continue with its open door policy. A so called pause in migration from these countries would be tantamount to a reversal of policy and could work against Britain's interest.

Migration to the UK from Europe, both historically and following the 2004 enlargement, has fuelled growth and has highlighted the attractiveness of the UK's liberalised economy. It is disappointing to hear some government ministers equivocate on this issue in the face of hysterical scare stories about the potential influx of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants. The simple fact is that workers from other European countries come to the UK because there are jobs. It is a cause for support, not retrenchment.

Look at the benefits so far. According to the latest statistics from the Home Office, there are 447,000 registered workers in the UK from the 2004 accession countries. Of those who have applied for NI numbers since 2004, 98% were for employment purposes.

Other European countries are now following the example of the UK - which along with Sweden and Ireland - was the first to embrace the spirit of enlargement in 2004 by allowing the free movement of people. Finland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy have now opened their labour markets to young and motivated workers from Poland, Slovakia the Czech Republic and elsewhere.

As advisory council members of the organisation, Business for New Europe, we believe that in reaching its decision, the UK government should be guided both by economic reason and by recent historical experience.

Roger Carr (Chairman, Centrica)
Philip Hampton (Chairman, Sainsbury)
David Levin (CEO, United Business Media)
Vijay Patel (CEO, Waymade Healthcare)
Bob Wigley (Chairman - Europe, Middle East & Africa, Merrill Lynch)

Business for New Europe
PO Box 57054
London EC2P 2YS
www.bnegroup.org
Tel: 020 7256 6575