EU foreign ministers'meeting today may resolve labor market issue

Foreign ministers of the European Union (EU) are meeting today in Brussels and will make a final effort to work out a common position in negotiations with Poland and other candidate countries regarding free access to the labor market in EU countries. Germany and Austria are ready to soften somewhat their demand for a seven-year transition period for candidates. They may accept the compromise solution in which all EU member countries would be able to cancel restrictions towards citizens of new members two years following EU entrance and permit them to work. Generally, new members would have free access to the EU job market after five years. Germany and Austria, however, want to assure themselves a seven-year transition period. If EU countries do not reach consensus at today's meeting, the subject will have to be solved, once and for all, at the June summit of EU leaders in Sweden. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B1) A.D.