Italy has just decided to lift restrictions on workers from eight "new Member States".
The advantages of free movement were highlighted in a European Commission report published last February which showed that workers mobility from the EU Member States in Central and Eastern Europe to EU15 has had mostly positive effects. Workers from EU10 have helped to relieve labour market shortages and contributed to better economic performance.

Moreover, countries that have not applied restrictions since May 2004 (UK, Ireland and Sweden) have experienced high economic growth, a drop of unemployment and a rise of employment. Finland, Spain, Portugal and Greece lifted restrictions on May 1st 2006.

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