'work' - tagged features

Now, neighbours is what the Finns and the Estonians has been for centuries - but it has only been since the fall of the iron curtain that the two countries have begun to re acquaint themselves. But for Estonia, as the borders come down and people, goods and services flow freely back and forth - the problem of brain drain has leapt onto the political agenda. 

As the first wave of this year's holidaymakers leave for their long summer break in Europe - its interesting to note that that phenomena of paid holidays - although taken for granted today in most parts of Europe and the industrialised world - is not that old...2006 is the seventieth anniversary of the introduction of paid holidays in France. RFI's Brent Gregston looks at the profound implications the phenomenon has had for French society since it was first which introduced in 1936. 

Citizens from new EU member states are able to enter the UK through the front door, as the country has a free labour market for EU citizens. According to the Home Office around 250 000 Poles are employed in the UK. Up to two million Poles may have settled in EU countries since Poland joined the Union in 2004. But emigration on this scale may in the long term have dramatic consequences for Poland, which has an ageing population. More from Radio Polonia. 

In May 2004 as 10 new members joined the European Union Ireland, the United Kingdom and Sweden were the only countries to immediately open their labour markets to the new EU citizens. Since then, according to Ireland's official figures, around 10,000 Czechs have taken advantage of that opportunity to work there. Now - drawing on two years of experience - the Irish government has just launched an information campaign entitled "Know Before You Go" . Radio Prague reports from the Czech capital. 

Growing numbers of Poles are opening business and taking up jobs in neighbouring countries such as the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Initially, most of these Polish job seekers went to the UK, Ireland and Sweden, which were the first to open up their labour markets. But increasingly, Poles are discovering that they can easily fill niches in labour markets closer to home. Radio Polonia reports.