“The entrance of Romania and Bulgaria is an event that, because of the economic social and cultural results, should be welcomed positively, as a useful occasion in the growth of all of Europe”. This is stated by the Italian Caritas, in a note recalling the entrance into the European Union, on January 1st, by the two new States, bringing the total number of member States to 27. There were 271,000 Romanians registered in Italy at the end of the year 2005 (but estimates see that figure as over 400,000). The Bulgarians are also tens of thousands. “This presence – the Italian Caritas states – is and ulterior richness of the common European home, but also an opportunity for Italy to depend on their precious labor, during these years. A positive result of this is the possibility for these workers to circulate freely and to continue to enter the labor market as caretakers, hired help, construction workers, metal workers and seasonal workers, without being subjected to the complicated procedure of the flux decree and the single counter anymore”. To those fearing an “invasion danger”, Caritas recalls “that the elevated annual need for new workers in Italy can satisfy the needs of Romania and other states without altering the balance of the national labor market”. Among the problems still needing to be resolved, Caritas mentions the need for “greater commitment regarding control in the work posts and the ore functional encounter on the territory between demand and supply”. Caritas also reminds that even the nomads are asking for “careful consideration of dispositions on the European level”. Last but not least is the question of the treatment of human beings pertaining to sexual and labor exploitation, which sees Romania as one of the main states of departure and transit of these victims. Caritas “asks that this phenomenon be given greater attention and that there may be a joint effort by the involved States, towards ending the pertinent criminal actions and promote paths of legality”.
