Emigration figures reveal plumber myth

Anti-EU Constitution campaigners whipped up a storm of "nons" in this summer's referendum in France, which sounded the death knell for one of the EU's most ambitious projects.

Voters rushed to the polls to reject the treaty fearing an influx of workers from Central and Eastern Europe would flood into France and steal their jobs.

However, during the period May 1, 2004 to March 31, 2005, the number of Polish nationals granted a temporary work permit in France was a paltry 737, while the number of permanent work permits issued came to just 875. This is hardly the rising tide of wrench-wielding Polish handymen that had politicians running in fear.

In a report on the free movement of workers in the EU, the European Citizen Action Services (ECAS) points out that French voters were convinced by anecdotal threats from the Polish plumber, while ignoring the fact that France was not a primary destination for migrants, partly due to linguistic barriers as only three percent of Poles speak French.

Ireland, Britain and Sweden were the only companies to open their borders to migrants from the new member states, with 175,000 Poles finding work in Britain and 85,000 opting for the Emerald Isle.

Many of these may have been illegal workers who legalized their presence in the country.

The report urges the other EU members to remove restrictions on their labor market and also points out that these barriers very often mean people work illegally, which is of little economic benefit to the EU.

"By imposing restrictions on the freedom of movement, the old member states risk creating further divisions within the EU, and provide a new ground for the already rising Euroskeptic feelings in both old and new Member States," it said.

The report makes a number of recommendations. It calls for a public hearing in the European Parliament on the restrictions on the free movement of people and says the UK Presidency should push the issue.

It says the European Commission and national governments should launch an information campaign, as there is a need for objective information. It also recommends that commercial employment agencies should be controlled.