The move, which will come into force in the coming days, is supposed to curb the flow of workers from the eastern European country to ease pressure on Spain's job market. The Spanish government decided to restrict the access of Romanian nationals because of the country's high unemployment rate (20%).
The government said the restrictions would not apply to Romanians already working in Spain, but it remains unclear what will happen if and when their contracts end. Under the new restrictions, Romanians will need a work permit and a work contract before they can enter Spain.
A European Commission spokeswoman confirmed that the Commission had received a letter from Spain explaining its decision. She said the Commission would analyse whether the move was in line with EU rules on free movement.
