It's certainly true that these countries suffer from mass unemployment and slow growth. The European social model has failed these countries. But it is incorrect to believe that greater immigration would cause greater unemployment. Instead, it would create new jobs, boost GDP and promote greater economic vitality. It would also be good for the cultures of these countries. It's all very well supporting a free trade in good, services and capital (increasingly Old Europe seems not even to support those) but free movement of labour is an important ingredient in the global economy too. The current restrictions on the free movement Eastern European workers make a mockery of the EU.