In the coming weeks Italy will decide whether to impose limits on the access of Bulgarian and Romanian workers to the local labour market.

The conditions could differ for workers from the two countries, Focus news agency reported.

Italy could open its labour market for Romanian workers after January 1 2007 in case Bucharest agreed to co-operate with Italy in the fight against transborder crime.

In the coming week Italy and Romania were going to sign an agreement for co-operation in the fight against crime, Focus reported quoting Italian officials.

The number of Romanians living in Italy exceeded 200 000 people. Though the majority of people followed the law, a number were connected to organised criminal groups dealing with prostitution and drug trafficking.