Having a look back to the soon ending twentieth century we can state, that the mankind has had experienced 99 stirring years, which can be described as the era of meetings. On one hand, there has been a lot of power conflicts, ideological disputes, which have not always contributed to the prosperous development. On the other hand, it was the time of meeting of experts over the problems of improvement of the people's conditions of life. Constant findings and inventions of drugs, technical facilities and work methods have undoubtedly been more or less contributing to the quality of life.

The man spends substantial part of life at work. This applies also to the twentieth century. However, the situation at its beginning was diametrically different compared to the today's situation. The usual working time was from 12 to 16 hours six times per week. Quite unimaginable for a present European, who works maximum 8,5 hour with two days free each week, moreover having many additional free days because of holidays and vacation within every year. And it is not worth talking about the working conditions.

The century is coming to its end - economic and social union is being established within the European union followed by liberalisation of movement of labour force, and enlargement of the European Union has become a question of the day. The Austrian Institute for Higher Studies HIS, for example, in its recent research states, that thanks to the enlargement of the European Union Austria will profit approximately by 1,5% of additional economic growth resulting from export, abolition of extra tariff trade barriers and possibilities of transfrontier work sharing.

Hand in hand with optimistic expectations there is an increase of concerns related to inflow of cheap labour force from the reforming countries. Several researches have provided a horror scenario: If, for example, starting from 2005 (assumed admission of new Union members) the citizens from neighbouring countries will have unlimited permission to be employed in Austria, roughly estimated it would mean annual inflow of about 45000 workers to the country. The country would not be able to cope with the hasty opening of the labour market, several well-known experts have unanimously declared.

These concerns are based on the present differences of the labour price level. One cannot count with opening of the labour market for the "new" Union member states sooner, than the maximum possible adaptation of candidate countries to the conditions of the internal market, including the price of work force, is achieved. The circles close to the European Commission have expressed a requirement to resolve this problem similarly as it was done when Spain and Portugal joined the European Union, i.e. by transient provisions, through which the labour market would be gradually liberalised towards the "new" Union members.

The current demographic investigations performed not only in Austria support such approach. With preservation of the present rate of economic growth, the demand for foreign labour force will increase by the year 2015 up to several hundred thousands due to the decrease of the productive part of population. Therefore, the EU enlargement could be an advantage.

Fear from opening eastwards, whether justified or exaggerated, should not be of a long duration. The position, we all should adopt is perhaps most accurately illustrated by an anecdote of the Austrian Minister of Economy Hannes Farnleitner. It speaks about his wife's grandfather, who after becoming a trained carpenter wandered two years as journeyman through Hungary, Transylvania, Bukovina, and spent also some time in Prague and Munich. During this moving from place to place nobody ever asked for his passport, work permit or residence permit. According to the Minister, if the young people are able to achieve the same arrangement, they may rail against their ancestors. So far the anecdote, but whether we shall really be given a chance to call names of our ancestors, will be shown in the upcoming years.

Slovak Trade FORUM