Byrne: Migration will be managed

Tuesday, 24, Oct 2006 12:00

EU enlargement benefits the British economy but migration will be "carefully managed" when Romania and Bulgaria become member states, Home Office minister Liam Byrne has declared.

Responding to the announcement on restricted working rights for citizens from the new accession states, Mr Byrne said: "A bigger Europe is good of Britain and British jobs.

"We're a strong supporter of EU enlargement and overwhelming evidence shows that migration from the countries which joined the EU in 2004 has had a positive effect on our economy."

But he said: "We need to make progress on our immigration reforms and understand the transitional impacts from the last round of accession before we take the next step."

This "gradual approach" would account for labour needs, the impact of EU expansion and the position of other member states, and ensure migration was "managed in the best interests of the country as a whole", he said.