Pracovní mobilita v rámci Evropské unie: analýza současného stavu, dlouhodobých trendů a identifikace přetrvávajících bariér

This thesis examines the labour mobility of European Union citizens within the EU internal market. The aim of the thesis is to assess the current state and long-term trends of intra-EU labour mobility over the period 2004–2024, to identify differences in its scale and dynamics across member states, and to define the key barriers limiting its effective functioning based on available data. The thesis draws on quantitative analysis of secondary statistical data from the Eurostat and OECD databases, employing descriptive and comparative analytical methods. The theoretical part summarises economic theories of migration, the legal framework of free movement of workers in the EU, and the evolution of relevant policies. The analytical part demonstrates that the share of mobile workers in the EU working-age population has been growing over the long term, yet remains low compared to the United States. The dominant geographic pattern of migration from east to west and from south to north persists throughout the period. An analysis of language proficiency reveals significant geographic inequalities that contribute to the asymmetry of migration flows. Case studies of Greece, Romania, and Italy suggest that persistently low employment rates function as a push factor for outward labour migration. The thesis concludes that while labour mobility fulfils an important stabilising function, it cannot on its own resolve the structural problems of European labour markets, as it addresses symptoms rather than causes and may, under certain conditions, deepen interregional inequalities.