Sun, Nov 22 2009

Dutch borders remain closed

Wed, Nov 26 2008 12:36 CET byRene Beekman 119 Views

The Dutch labour market will remain closed for another three years for Bulgarian and Romanian workers. Current problems with abuse of workers from other Eastern European countries, mainly Poland, and problems with accommodation were reasons that a majority of Christian Democrats, Conservatives and Socialists in parliament in The Netherlands urged for the use of the maximum period allowed by the European Union, local media reported on November 26 2008.

Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner announced a week earlier that he would like to see the border closed until July 1 2009.

Christian Democrat member of parliament Eddy van Hijum said the country should tell Brussels that it intended to use the full three-year period: "We can always open the borders earlier, if we want to," he was quoted as saying as Belgian newspaper De Morgen.

"We are talking about unskilled migrants and this is a risk for our social security system," Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant quoted Van Hijum as saying.

Together with conservative party VVD, van Hijum asked Donner to review social security law so it would not attract people from countries where salaries and social security benefits were lower than in The Netherlands, De Morgen said.

EU member states have until January 1 2009 to decide if they want to keep borders closed for workers from Bulgaria and Romania, and if so, for how long. Bulgarians and Romanians currently need a work permit to be allowed to work in The Netherlands.

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