Holland postpones labor market liberalization for Romanian and Bulgarian workers

The Dutch Government decided to postpone the labor market liberalization – first scheduled for January 1, 2009 – for Romanian and Bulgarian workers, because of the economic crisis, the Dutch Social Affairs Minister, Piet Hein Donner, announced on Thursday.

„The Minister announced in the Parliament that there will be no free movement for Romanians and Bulgarians on January 1”, said Donner’s spokesperson, Bea Versteeg, according to NewsIn.

„The situation in the labor market makes us fear that the unemployment rate will increase, because of the financial crisis, therefore the minister doesn’t wish to open the market”, said Versteeg.

Countries in the Schengen zone may oppose the labor market liberalization for a maximum of three years, Romania and Bulgaria joining the EU on January 1, 2007.