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Free Movement of Workers
pr1016
03/07/2001
03/07/2001
| Reference is made to Dr Alfred Sant’s reactions last Sunday to the | successful closure of negotiations on the issue of the free movement of workers. This is the second time that the Government is having to issue a statement to correct Dr Alfred Sant’s misinterpretation of the agreement that the Maltese Government has successfully negotiated with the European Union on this issue. |
| It should be repeated that through this agreement, | Maltese citizens will be able to seek work in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Leichtenstein as of right from the first day of Malta’s membership. At the same time, for the first seven years Malta may apply safeguards on the right of EU workers to seek work in Malta. Restrictions may be imposed unilaterally by Malta in urgent and exceptional cases where the inflow of EU workers puts a strain on the local labour market or parts of it. |
| After the seven year period, in the event of a | disproportionate influx of EU workers, Malta will retain the right to resort to EU institutions in order to seek an appropriate solution. |
| Dr Sant is claiming that EU workers could be paid | cheaper salaries than the Maltese. This is completely incorrect. He should know that EU legislation requires that there should be no discrimination in the working conditions of workers in any given member country. |
| Thus Malta has achieved the right for its nationals | to seek work in nearly the whole of Europe, a right which does not exist today. |
| On the other hand it has retained the facility to | take decisive action to maintain the stability of the labour market should there be any threat of its disruption. |
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