The European Commission has published a report which highlights the overall positive role that mobile workers from Bulgaria and Romania have played in receiving countries' economies. According to the report, there has been no significant impact on unemployment or wages of local workers in receiving countries.

The report published by the European Commission reveals the overall positive impact of mobility of Bulgarian and Romanian workers on EU economy. According to the report, these workers have contributed to the skills mix as well as filling vacancies in sectors and jobs with labour shortages such as in construction and the domestic and food services sectors. Estimates also show a positive impact of the free movement of Romanian and Bulgarian workers on the EU's long-term GDP with an increase by about 0.3% for EU.

On the other hand, the main destination for movers form Bulgaria and Romania was to Italy and Spain and data suggest that, at the end of 2010, twice as many Bulgarians and Romanians (2.9 million) were residing in the EU compared to 2006. At the same time, in relative terms, EU-2 nationals resident in an EU-25 Member State only represent 0.6 % of the total EU-25 population. The highest share is in Cyprus (4.1%), Spain (2.2 %) and Italy (1.8 %). In addition, the Bulgaria and Romania's employment rate (63%) is close to that of the EU-25 (65%). However, since the economic downturn, recently arrived these nationals have found it more difficult to find a job: around 16% were out of work in 2010, compared to 9% in 2007. The report also underlines that what is clear is that these movers have played a very minor role in the labour market crisis which is a direct consequence of the financial and economic crisis, as well as structural labour market problems.

Currently and until the end of December 2011, the second phase of the transitional arrangements is taking place. Ten Member States (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Malta, Luxembourg, Austria, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom) currently still restrict the access of workers from Bulgaria and Romania. They can maintain restrictions after 31 December 2011 only if they notify the Commission by 31 December 2011 of a serious disturbance (or threat thereof) to the labour market. Romanian workers also face restrictions to access the Spanish labour market after the European Commission approved Spain's request to restrict its labour market to Romanian workers until 31 December 2012 due to serious disturbances on its labour market.