Croatian citizens will have unlimited access to work in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg and Spain the EU Commission has announced.

Croatia joined the EU in July 2013. Members of the trade bloc can limit access to their labour markets for citizens from new member states for up to seven years, for instance by requiring work permits.

Fourteen EU nations granted Croatian workers full access to their labour markets at the time of the country‘s accession while restrictions will remain in Austria, Britain, Malta, the Netherlands and Slovenia for three more years.

"This is a positive development. Labour mobility can be an opportunity both for workers and the host economies," EU Employment Commissioner Marianne Thyssen said in a statement.

"However, at the same time, we need to ensure that the system is fair for all, and that it is also perceived as fair by the citizens," she added.

Austria, Britain, Malta, the Netherlands and Slovenia will be able to extend their restrictions again in 2018 if there is "a threat of serious disturbances to their labour market," the commission said.

The EU‘s executive had predicted at the end of May that future flows of Croatian workers would be small and "unlikely to lead to labour market disturbances," in a report on their mobility.

"Mobile citizens from Croatia are mainly of working-age and relatively well educated; they tend to be younger and more likely to be employed compared to nationals of the host countries," it said.

Croatians will become eligible to work anywhere within the EU in 2020.