In a response to a Foreign Office announcement on December 10 concerning the free entry of East European workers to Britain when additional states join the EU, MigrationwatchUK issued the following:

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December 10, 2002

'The announcement of immediate Free Movement for workers from EU candidate countries on accession is a decision with potentially massive consequences. With other major economies delaying opening their labour markets, there could be a very substantial flow of East European labour into Britain. This, added to the very large inflow from the Third World, will place still further strain on our public services and make the South East even more over-crowded. Furthermore, the so called safeguards will be of little or no value since citizens of the candidate countries will not be counted in or out once they are members of the EU.'