Sources in the European Commission reported on Tuesday that the notifications were submitted by Austria, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Slovenia and Malta.
After Croatia joined the bloc on 1 July 2013, 13 countries exercised their right to temporarily ban Croatian workers from their labour market. Restrictions could be imposed to two, five or seven years.
The two-year transition period which 13 EU member states imposed for Croatian workers expires at midnight tonight. After that, each country will individually decide whether to extend the transitional period by another three years, namely until 30 June 2018 (with the possibility of extending it by another two, ending on 30 June 2020), or to fully open their labour markets to Croatian nationals.
France and Cyprus have not yet notified the Commission of their decisions and in case their decisions are not submitted by midnight, the transitional period will be automatically lifted.
On 1 July 2013, restrictions were imposed by France, Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Austria, Great Britain, Slovenia, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Italy, Malta and Greece. Germany, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Italy and Greece have already decided not to extend the transitional period.