France 'will open labour markets to Romania'

France will gradually open its labour market to Romanian and Bulgarian workers, who will be able to take jobs in sectors such as construction, agriculture and hotels, European affairs minister Catherine Colonna said today.

Romania and Bulgaria are scheduled to join the European Union in January, and current EU states have the option of opening their labour markets to workers from new members or keeping their labour markets closed for up to seven years.

Colonna, who was on a one-day visit to the Romanian capital, said France’s rules for Romanian and Bulgarian workers are similar to those applied for the 10 countries that joined the European Union in 2004.

“France shows Romania that it is a steady partner,” Colonna’s Romanian counterpart Anca Boagiu said after meeting her.

Boagiu said Romanian authorities believe that fewer than 500,000 Romanian workers would search for work in EU countries after January.

Colonna warned, however, that illegal immigrants would face deportation, adding that “the rules would not change” after January for people who are illegally on French territory.

Colonna, who also met Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President Traian Basescu, said France would continue to support Romania’s efforts to reform areas such as agriculture, internal affairs and its justice system.

Tariceanu and Basescu told Colonna that Romania would continue reforms to ensure the country can integrate into the EU.