– Prolongation of the transitional period by two more years would be a big mistake – says Martin Wansleben, director of DIHK. – Most of our neighbors opened their labor markets long ago and it has worked really well for them – Wansleben stated. According to him, the lifting of restrictions in other EU countries has contributed to economic growth and the increase of available job positions. He cautioned that further “obstinacy” of the great coalition will only harm it.
The first step in eliminating obstacles should be – according to the director of DIHK – opening the labor market for university graduates from the countries who joined the EU in 2004 and abolishing barriers in those sectors of German economy which suffer from labor shortages.
In line with the EU expansion treaty of 2004 the 15 Member Countries had the right to impose restrictions against workers from new countries for a maximum period of 7 years, TVN24 reports. They were also obliged to review their decision after two and five years from EU enlargement. The restrictions in Germany are in force until the end of April 2009.
It is known that the parties forming Germany’s grand coalition are for maintaining the barriers until 2011.