New business start-ups in Germany by self-employed persons from the new EU member states

In 2004 three reforms were introduced in the EU and in Germany that clearly improved the conditions for self-employed persons from the new EU member states to establish businesses in Germany. This article examine the extent to which self-employed persons from the new member states have set up businesses in Germany as a result of these reforms and to what extent self-employed persons have established businesses to get around the migration restrictions for the non-self-employed that will expire in 2011.