Ascultă Radio România Actualitaţi Live

Ireland lifts restrictions for Romanian workers

The measure comes after a strong decrease in the number of Romanians who travel to Ireland in search of work but also as a result of the request of the EC to review restrictions.

Ireland lifts restrictions for Romanian workers
Foto: Agerpres.

Articol de Florin Matei, 22 Iulie 2012, 11:21

The Irish Government has removed all restrictions on access to the labour market for workers from Romania and Bulgaria.

Restrictions have dated since the accession of the two countries to the EU five years ago, recounts the daily Irish Times Electronic Edition.

Abolition of restrictions comes a few months after the request of the European Commission to the Irish Government to examine the need for the current restrictions.

"It has become clear that the basis for further restrictions on access to the labour market to Romanians and Bulgarians is questionable," shows a press release of the Irish Department of Labour, Business and Innovation.

"The Government has decided to immediately advance to the date of access to the labour market of Bulgarian and Romanian citizens," the Department added.

The number of applications for work permits from Romania and Bulgaria have fallen by almost eight times from 2003 to 2011, the Irish Ministry of Labour shows.

"From a peak in 2003, the number of those seeking employment in Ireland has declined significantly since 2007.

"In 2003, approximately 3,600 work permits were requested by citizens of the two countries, reaching 500 applications in 2011," also shows the Irish Government press release, taken over by the Irish Times.

Eight European countries also maintain restrictions

16 Member States of the European Union have lifted restrictions on the labour market to Romanians.

Among them starting January 1 2012 include Italy and Iceland.

Germany also has liberalized, but only in part, the access to employment.

Luxembourg has expanded the scope of the simplified procedure for granting work permits.

Total or partial restrictions are maintained by Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria and the United Kingdom.

Faced with the highest unemployment in the euro area since the introduction of the single currency and with extremely high levels of unemployment among young people, the European Commission proposed on April 18 a package of measures designed to encourage the creation of jobs in Europe.

Translated by

Denisse-Meda Bucura

MTTLC, Bucharest University

Extraordinary Senate session
News in English 21 Ianuarie 2025, 16:44

Extraordinary Senate session

The Senate plenary is meeting in extraordinary session to inform senators about the emergency ordinance adopted by the...

Extraordinary Senate session
ECHR rejects an application by Calin Georgescu
News in English 21 Ianuarie 2025, 16:35

ECHR rejects an application by Calin Georgescu

The European Court of Human Rights has rejected former candidate Calin Georgescu's request for a provisional suspension...

ECHR rejects an application by Calin Georgescu
EU finance ministers discuss measures to boost EU competitiveness
News in English 21 Ianuarie 2025, 16:35

EU finance ministers discuss measures to boost EU competitiveness

EU finance ministers in Brussels discuss measures to boost the bloc's competitiveness in the global market. Measures...

EU finance ministers discuss measures to boost EU competitiveness
Ilie Bolojan: It is essential that the truce between Israel and Hamas continues
News in English 20 Ianuarie 2025, 21:00

Ilie Bolojan: It is essential that the truce between Israel and Hamas continues

Senate President Ilie Bolojan has welcomed the release of hostages following the truce between Israel and Hamas and stressed...

Ilie Bolojan: It is essential that the truce between Israel and Hamas continues
Government coalition leaders meet to analyze internal polls on voting intentions
News in English 20 Ianuarie 2025, 20:59

Government coalition leaders meet to analyze internal polls on voting intentions

The leaders of the parties in the ruling coalition will meet at the Victoria Palace from 18:00 to analyze internal polls on...

Government coalition leaders meet to analyze internal polls on voting intentions
Finance Minister Tanczos Barna met Hungarian Foreign Minister
News in English 20 Ianuarie 2025, 17:54

Finance Minister Tanczos Barna met Hungarian Foreign Minister

Romania aims to learn from Hungary how to better collect VAT revenues, Finance Minister Tanczos Barna said at the end of a...

Finance Minister Tanczos Barna met Hungarian Foreign Minister
Non-emergency 112 calls decrease compared to previous years
News in English 20 Ianuarie 2025, 17:53

Non-emergency 112 calls decrease compared to previous years

The number of non-emergency calls to 112 fell in 2024 by almost 1 million compared with previous years, the Special...

Non-emergency 112 calls decrease compared to previous years
The Government adopts on Thursday the decision on the organization of the presidential elections
News in English 16 Ianuarie 2025, 15:57

The Government adopts on Thursday the decision on the organization of the presidential elections

Today, January 16, the executive will adopt a decision on holding presidential elections in May this year, as well as the...

The Government adopts on Thursday the decision on the organization of the presidential elections