Another eight countries could have joined the European Union by 2018, the President of Romania said last night.
President Basescu, who would like to have the restrictions lifted and confirmed it was discussed with Mr Cameron Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph in London, President Traian Basescu said the number of member states could increase from 27 to 35 by 2018.
He said: “We are looking at the extension. May be it is not the right moment in this crisis to discuss but it is clear that both countries are supportive for western Balkans integration, for Moldovan integration, for Turkey integration.
“These are common points of view between Bucharest and London. For the time being we can imagine an EU extended in western Balkans, with Moldova and with Turkey. We cannot now imagine a larger European Union.
“That will be 35, maybe by 2018 or 2020 when this process will be finalised.”
President Basescu said that the expansion was dependent on EU countries hit by economic crisis. He said: “It will depend on very much on how Europe left the crisis period.
“Because in order to look at the extension we will have to settle the EU’s internal problems, with Greece, Ireland, Portugal and who knows.”
The issue of EU expansion was raised in talks between President Basescu and Prime Minister David Cameron in Downing Street yesterday.
Downing sources said that “the issue EU enlargement was talked about but not target dates or numbers”.
The insider added that as part of the expansion process, Britain would most probably insist that anyone wanting to work in the UK would have to apply for work permits.
A work permit regime currently restricts the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers who come to the UK and six other EU member states.
President Basescu, who would like to have the restrictions lifted and confirmed it was discussed with Mr Cameron. However he added: “I don’t like to comment if we don’t reach agreement.”
The news could prompt fears of a second “big bang” surge of migrant workers into the UK, rivalling the last influx from the likes of Poland in 2004.
Official figures show that between 2002 and 2011 the number of non-UK born workers increased by 1.7 million while the number of British workers fell by 223,000. Between 2006 and 2009 more than 700,000 Eastern European workers registered to work in the UK.
However, in March, Damian Green, the immigration minister, suggested that migrants would be banned from taking British jobs. He said: "We need to protect the interests of British workers."
Any state joining the EU would face the most "stringent controls" on access to the labour market, which would mean a bar on working here for seven years, he said.
However Sir Andrew Green, the chairman of Migration Watch, said that the controls would just postpone the problem.
He said: "We must stop and think before we add further to the number of countries who acquire the right to free entry to Britain as part of the EU. The Government says they will impose transitional arrangements but that will just postpone the problem for seven years."
In the interview with The Daily Telegraph, President Basescu added that he hoped that by December this year Romania will have joined other members of Europe's borderless Schengen area. "This is when we like to have a result, but we will see," he said.
"We hope, simply because we have a treaty and we have a chapter in our accession treaty which is called Schengen Accession. And we meet all the requirements from this chapter."
He added that Romania was committed to supportive of Nato's actions to support rebels in Libya.
The issue of EU expansion was raised in talks between President Basescu and Prime Minister David Cameron in Downing Street yesterday.
Downing sources said that “the issue EU enlargement was talked about but not target dates or numbers”.
The insider added that as part of the expansion process, Britain would most probably insist that anyone wanting to work in the UK would have to apply for work permits.
A work permit regime currently restricts the number of Romanian and Bulgarian workers who come to the UK and six other EU member states.
President Basescu, who would like to have the restrictions lifted and confirmed it was discussed with Mr Cameron. However he added: “I don’t like to comment if we don’t reach agreement.”
The news could prompt fears of a second “big bang” surge of migrant workers into the UK, rivalling the last influx from the likes of Poland in 2004.
Official figures show that between 2002 and 2011 the number of non-UK born workers increased by 1.7 million while the number of British workers fell by 223,000. Between 2006 and 2009 more than 700,000 Eastern European workers registered to work in the UK.
However, in March, Damian Green, the immigration minister, suggested that migrants would be banned from taking British jobs. He said: "We need to protect the interests of British workers."
Any state joining the EU would face the most "stringent controls" on access to the labour market, which would mean a bar on working here for seven years, he said.
However Sir Andrew Green, the chairman of Migration Watch, said that the controls would just postpone the problem.
He said: "We must stop and think before we add further to the number of countries who acquire the right to free entry to Britain as part of the EU. The Government says they will impose transitional arrangements but that will just postpone the problem for seven years."
In the interview with The Daily Telegraph, President Basescu added that he hoped that by December this year Romania will have joined other members of Europe's borderless Schengen area. "This is when we like to have a result, but we will see," he said.
"We hope, simply because we have a treaty and we have a chapter in our accession treaty which is called Schengen Accession. And we meet all the requirements from this chapter."
He added that Romania was committed to supportive of Nato's actions to support rebels in Libya.
