THE HAGUE, 28/10/06 - Social Affairs State Secretary Henk van Hoof wants a transition regime for Rumanian and Bulgarian employees. Both countries are joining the EU on 1 January.

Van Hoof expects many inhabitants of the two East European countries to want to work in the richer EU countries when their country has acceded. This is why he is proposing to the Lower House a transition regime of two years from 1 January. Under this, Bulgarians and Rumanians would only be able to work in the Netherlands with a work permit.

A transition scheme was also introduced earlier for the countries that joined the EU in May 2004, including Poland. Van Hoof wanted to abolish that scheme on 1 January 2007. But under pressure from Labour (PvdA), the Christian democrats (CDA) and Socialist Party (SP), he recently hinted at postponement. He does still want to open up more sectors.

The labour market test, as it was known, has already been dropped for employees from the countries that joined the EU in May 2004 in 21 sectors. Under this, companies must first look in the Netherlands and the 'old' EU for staff. Its abolition makes it possible to get a work permit for Poles in these sectors much quicker than in sectors where the test still applies.