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Vote: Motions for resolutions - Freedom of movement for workers within the European Union, Paragraph 2, December 2011.

Freedom of movement for workers is one of the most important rights for EU citizens. Every EU citizen has the right to move and reside freely within the EU territory and at the same time to look for a job in another EU country and work there without a work permit.

However, as part of the agreement reached between EU Member States to allow Bulgaria and Romania to join the EU, Member States may apply restrictions on the free movement of workers from these countries for a transitional period of up to 7 years.

Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU in January 2007. The transitional arrangements were divided into a 3 phases. The current, final phase started on 1 January 2011 will end on 31 December 2013. Austria, Germany, Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom continue to impose restrictions on Romanian and Bulgarian citizens.

In a joint motion for a resolution on freedom of movement for workers in the European Union adopted in December 2011, the European Parliament called on these Member States to abolish all transitional measures in force, claiming that there is no real economic justification for such restrictions.