When employers don’t want migrant workers. Freedom of movement negotiations before the 2004 enlargement of the European Union

The availability of foreign workers is often beneficial for employers due to local skill shortages or migrants’ flexibility. The 2004 enlargement of the European Union offered businesses a large pool of workers from Central and Eastern Europe. However, during accession negotiations, European employers’ organisations did not advocate for opening labour markets to new EU citizens. This article, based on archival documents and interviews, investigates employers’ strategies related to the enlargement. It demonstrates that they did not have a uniform perception of their interests, with small businesses wary of enlargement and large companies prioritising investment and market opportunities. Consequently, the umbrella UNICE favoured delaying the free movement of workers, while the ERT, representing multinationals, did not promote it, fearing protracted debates. This demonstrates how employers’ positions can vary depending not only on economic calculations but also on the institutional environment, with labour-related interests being weighed against other, sometimes more fundamental ones.