The president of the European Parliament Mr Pat Cox today dismissed fears of social welfare shopping by immigrants from new member states and voiced concern over the tone of recent media reports.
He was speaking at the launch of a new study which showed the Eastern European countries are more likely to suffer a "brain drain" by educated migrants moving to wealthier EU states to seek out better job opportunities.
The study was based on a poll in which people in the new states were questioned about moving to current EU countries.
It showed approximately one million secondary school leavers and university graduates from the mostly eastern European accession countries could move west over the next five years.
"This study confirms the view of the European Commission that fears of a huge wave of migration from the new member states after May 1st, 2004 will be proven to be unfounded," acting EU Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Ms Margot Wallstrom said in a statement.
Mr Cox said he was worried over the language used by many newspapers.
"The biggest flood we've had to date is not of humans, but the flood of ink on tabloid red tops," Mr Cox said, noting two-thirds of those that left countries like Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic after the fall of Communism returned home.
When Spain and Portugal joined the EU in the 1980s, many northern neighbours also feared the influx of immigrants.
"France and others feared floods of migrants coming north. It didn't happen and the rules that were put in place fell into disuse. The flood never came," Mr Cox said.
The Commission published the study after Britain, one of two remaining EU states along with the Republic of Ireland to promise full access to the labour market for the migrants, restricted access to welfare benefits earlier in the week.