Spain imposes two-year work permit scheme for Bulgarians, Romanians

Spanish authorities will require citizens of Bulgaria and Romania to acquire a permit to work in Spain for two years following the EU accession of the two eastern European countries in January, the Spanish foreign minister said Tuesday.

Bulgaria and Romania will be subject to the same two-year transition regime Spain applied to other eastern European countries that joined the European Union in 2004, Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos said.

"With the admission of the 10 new members (in 2004), we established a delay of two years, beyond which we lifted the restriction on the free circulation" of citizens of those countries, Moratinos said.

On October 24, Britain announced that restrictions would be placed on Bulgarians and Romanians who wanted to come to that country next year.

In May 2004, Britain placed no restrictions on workers from 10 mainly eastern and central European countries coming to work there.