Don't hold your breath: many EU accession benefits won't be felt for years

In most cases, it was this country's negotiators who opted for such a stance in order to mitigate what might be termed 'EU integration shock.' In other cases, however, the temporary solutions and intermediary periods were introduced to calm down the anxieties of the 'old fifteen.' Employment opportunities abroad are held to be crucial matters for most citizens of this country, but only the UK, Ireland and Sweden have so far decided to open their job markets to the new member states. On the other hand, it will take seven years before Austria and Germany will loosen their labor restrictions. Similarly, it will be another five years before this country's citizens will be allowed to cross internal EU borders without passports, while the Euro will not replace the zloty by as late as 2010. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B3) K.J.