Today, average nominal wages in the eight post-communist EU countries are about one-fifth of the West European level and often only a quarter to a half of Western levels of social assistance. The real differences in living standards are not quite as large, but they are a temptation nonetheless.
东欧人利用新指令的动机会特别强烈。当今，八个后共产主义欧盟国家的平均名义工资只有西欧水平的五分之一，社会援助水平只有西欧的四分之一到一半。实际生活水平的差距倒没有这么大，但无论如何诱惑还是存在的。对于将在2007年加入欧盟的保加利亚人和罗马尼亚人而言尤其如此。他们目前的名义工资只有西欧平均水平的7%。