Austria to insist on limiting the free flow of labor from aspiring EU countries

Austrian diplomat Gregor Woschnagg who is representing Austria in negotiations with candidates for European Union (EU) membership has reiterated his country's position that the EU should limit the free flow of the labor from countries like Poland in the first five years after expansion. The Austrians believe the disparity in remuneration between workers in Austria and those in the new member countries could compel companies to hire cheaper labor from the east, thus threatening the welfare of Austrians. According to senior Austrian Foreign Ministry official Martin Sajdik, Austria is considering a number of options including limiting foreign labor in selected sectors of the economy. Germany holds a similar view to that of Austria. (Gazeta Wyborcza, page 23) S.M.