The fears of sceptics have proved unfounded: there has been no mass influx of cheap imports or unskilled labour, and economic growth rates and investment in several of the new members have been impressive. Citizens from the EU10 have become active and committed participants in the European institutions, as they have been for several years in the European trade union movement.

However, the last 12 months have also demonstrated that some employers are willing to exploit ongoing economic differences across the EU, in order to undermine agreed pay rates and working conditions, to the detriment of the workforce.

Two important issues will dictate the success of EU integration in the near future:

  Ratification of the EU Constitution Treaty is key to ensuring the smooth operation of a Union of 25, to guaranteeing the same fundamental rights to workers in all Member States, and to moving towards greater democracy and transparency in the way the EU operates. If the Constitution is rejected by one or more of the EU-15, there is a serious risk of the European project stalling amidst general disillusionment and recrimination.

 Adequate EU investment and resources for social cohesion measures in the new members is crucial to avoiding social dumping and equalising living and working standards across the Union.

Equally important is the development of a strong, democratic trade union movement to defend the interests of working people, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, and the ETUC reaffirms its commitment to achieving this goal. “There is still a lot to be done to strengthen the social partners and reinforce bipartite social dialogue in these countries, so that workers can benefit fully from expanding growth and mobility of labour,” says ETUC General Secretary John Monks. “Working people and their families across the EU-25 are not rivals. They share the same common interest in improving their quality of life and strengthening the European social model.”