Effects of EU Eastern Enlargement on the Regional Labour Market

In the EU member states – particularly in Germany and Austria – there are concerns that national labour markets will be burdened by migration and that wages will come under pressure if the countries in Central and Eastern Europe are granted unrestricted labour mobility immediately upon their accession to the EU. In order to prevent problems from developing in geographically concentrated areas as a consequence of immigration and the large scale commuting of workers, a pro-active and forward-looking strategy should be embraced.