The European Union (EU) will continue to work to create a genuine free labor market after efforts this year proved successful in raising EU citizens' awareness of the advantages of moving abroad, the EU's executive European Commission said on Monday.

More and more people have become aware of their rights to work in another EU country and how to exercise them, thanks to the European Year of Workers' Mobility campaign in 2006, the commission said in a statement.

About 2,000 events were held across Europe in the past twelve months, which not only informed and educated people but also reinforced tools to help them find a job abroad, it said.

During the year, a new Internet jobs portal EURES was launched and published one million job vacancies across Europe, and the first Europe-wide job fair was held with 200,000 visitors at simultaneous events in more than 300 towns and cities.

The year has seen a gradual change in Europeans' attitudes towards geographic relocation and job-to-job mobility. According to a survey by the EU, three out of four Europeans recognize that job mobility is essential in today's labor market.

Use of the EURES portal has increased significantly, with 8,000 employers now registered as recruiters, up from 5,000 in 2005, and 184,000 job seekers posting their CVs, up from 80,000 a year ago.

According to an EU study on mobility, 59 percent of people without work who moved country, found a job within 12 months. Of those who remained in their home country, only 33 percent found a job.

"Working in another European country gives individuals the chance to learn a new language, discover a new culture and develop new skills," said EU Employment Commissioner Vladimir Spidla.

"Job mobility is also crucial to Europe's objective of boosting jobs and growth," he added.

The EU will continue to promote free movement of labor next year with a Mobility Action Plan, which will tackle issues like providing workers and their families better access to support services during the process of moving, and helping workers who return to their home locations after working abroad to settle down.

Source: Xinhua