Will Africans be kept away from the larger EU?

On 1 May, the European Union is set for a historic enlargement, as 10 countries from Central Europe and the Mediterranean become members.

The EU's membership list will increase from 15 countries to 25, its surface area will increase by a quarter, and its population by one fifth.

But what does this enlargement mean for Africa and Africans?

A recent EU study suggested there will now be 220,000 migrants from within Europe every year, flooding the job market and potentially spelling fewer opportunities for Africans.

The cost of enlargement itself has been calculated at 67bn euros ($80bn), giving Europe internal expenses that will take its focus away from the developing world.

BBC's Africa Live asks: What implications does the EU expansion have for African immigration, jobs and trade? Will business with Africa be affected? And will poverty alleviation and aid quietly slip off the EU agenda?

Join the BBC's Africa Live debate Wednesday 28 April at 1630 & 1830GMT.

Use the form to send us your comments, some of which will be published below.

If you would like to take part in the discussion, e-mail us with your telephone number, which will not be published.

With Africa-EU relations in terms of trade, aid, and investment, this will mean a further marginalization of Africa. But if systemic and structural arrangements and establishments in the international community do not put impediments in the way of the progress of AU and the NEPAD framework, the EU's enlargement will not mean anything for Africa. On the individual level, if job recruitment is based on merit and not the skin of a person's colour or person's country, then I don't foresee any major consequences for a great number of Africans out there.
Kwadwo Poku, USA

Both Africans & Europeans should look positively at EU enlargement. In the long run, an expanded EU will mean an expanded European economy. This will mean more aid & more trade between Europe & Africa. Africans wishing to work in Europe, as well as African economies will benefit.
Nathan Kirkwood, UK

It is very probable that in the near future the increase in size of the EU will hurt Africa. Yet I believe that after EU gets larger and these new countries become more economically and socially sound that this will create more aid for Africa.
James Hitchens, USA

The building of an Economic Community began in Africa (ECOWAS) in 1957. Three years before the birth of the original six (EEC) in 1960. What happened? It is an economic fact that nations that trade among themselves with least or no artificial barriers grow richer. As much as I agree that the expansion of the EU will be somewhat detrimental to non-member citizens, it is also a wake up call to stop feeding on others economy.
Kofi Kukubor, UK

We Africans have so many lessons within us and we need to understand that there are possibilities of becoming sustainable. Look at the people of the republic of Somaliland, they are not part of the UN, they receive no aid from the EU and they have no loans from the IMF. Yet they are doing very much better that 33 African countries with booming democracy.
Charles Boengo, Europe

I would like to see the EU enlargement in terms of lessons for African nations, not in terms of loss of jobs for Africans or aid money diverted away from Africa. Ultimately what matters are jobs in Africa and the strength of domestic markets as well as retention of skills. I do not think it is fruitful to interpret every world event through its implication to aid.
Boruu Hifa, UK

We welcome the new members to the EU and hope that they, like us in Ireland will benefit from membership of the larger European brotherhood. For Africa, the EU enlargement means that resources will be used to help the assimilation process.
Gerry Murphy, Ireland

The enlargement of EU will create job scarcity in Europe. As a result, nationalism and xenophobia will increase. Many Europeans worry about immigrants from North Africa, or perhaps terrorist groups. As a result European borders will be tightened more. The enlargement will also affect Africa's trade with Europe, because of economic regionalism and neomercantile trade protectionism. However, because of globalization and historical connection, the two continents will remain important to each other.
Teddy Bandima, Canada

It will create a bigger market for the African produce. The centralisation will be good for the African exporter. As for the African emigrant or emigrant to be - it will just create competition for jobs. But this is not specific to Africans only - Asians and Latin Americans who make the greatest portion of migrants will be hardest hit.
G. J. Okoth, Kenya

The lives of African immigrants have never been good and will be worse off with the expansion of the EU. What Africa needs to think about now is how to make our continent attractive to our people so that the mass migration to Europe will stop. There is nothing like home, so let's work towards that.
John, Ghanaian in Norway

There is no question that the enlargement of the EU will bring benefit to East Europeans. But for the Africans, it is going to be a nightmare. The few opportunities they use to have will definitely disappear. I'm afraid we as Africans are in for a rough ride.
Stephen, Germany

Even without EU expansion there have been massive restrictions placed on Africans over the past few years, preventing them from coming into the EU. Talking about racism!!!!
Eleanor, UK

It is an opportunity to expand African trade with the former East European countries whose products may not be able to cope with the EU standard but African markets will be a surer place for them. Many of these countries are already approaching many African countries for trade cooperation. This is a blessing in disguise for Africa provided people take advantage of the situation and not fold their hands again.
Ibukun Olatidoye, Nigeria

What implications? If a road is not closed another would be opened as EU is not the end of the world. Is US a member of the EU? Rest assured, we'll take care of ourselves.
Tajudeen Bakre, Nigeria.

A larger European Union is beneficial to Africa in terms of wider market infrastructure for Africa's organic products; financial/monetary benefit (a single European currency is stronger and more stable to deal with) and less difficulties in travel arrangements (there will be one visa requirement for entry to Europe).
Philip F. Kato, Uganda

The fact that EU will have more mouths to feed after the enlargement means that there'll be considerable reduction in opportunities for non-Europeans, Africa inclusive. This is just another wake-up call for African countries to get off the clutches of foreign aid and learn to stand on their own,
Tony Izuogu, Ghana

Most EU members have rejected African immigrants so Africa is already affected. But without doubt the EU expansion will cripple the economy of Africa.
Peter Tuach, USA

It is inevitable that there will be serious implications for Africa when EU welcome its 10 members. Countries in Eastern Europe are going to get the opportunities that African countries might have otherwise gotten. But we hope that EU's enlargement does not affect its moral obligation of supporting Africa in health areas such as combating HIV/AIDS and poverty. EU's enlargement will certainly be best viewed as an opportunity for Africans to find economic opportunities in new member countries such as Poland and the rest. It can also ease the problem of immigrants aiming for the UK or Germany.
Marial Wuoi, USA/Sudan

This is an opportunity for Africa to get its act together and build a better Africa for Africans. It'll teach our African leaders to be less corrupt more accountable.
Dev, Malawi

The development of Africa does not depend on EU. No matter how many countries are joining the EU, Africa and Africans will still survive. African Union is the answer to our problems. With that we can trade among ourselves and share our wealth and stop wasting our time on organisations like the Commonwealth, whose wealth is just that.
John Ansah, Ghanaian in Norway

The expansion is the solution to the EU because of low man power but then it also has a drastic effect on Africans already in Eastern Europe now doing the jobs normally reserve for the Africans. I wonder what jobs will be left for them now??
Vinnie, Germany

The EU implication for Africa should be seen as more positive than negative. Why wouldn't Africa unite and put resources together to fight poverty and unemployment? We should be contributing to build up our own countries so that we can create jobs for ourselves and attract others.
Chidi Nwamadi, Nigerian in France

I see no reason why Africans in Europe should entertain any fear of being swapped with central Europe and the Mediterranean but they should rather learn form this and strengthen the African Union to achieve its goal. Going to Europe to work would not save us from poverty but would only contribute to European economies. It's about time we deal with corrupt politicians and work hard for the prosperity of the continent.
Richard, Ghana

To tell the truth, Africa won't make much progress if Africans don't stay at home. The existence of a glimmer of opportunity across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean is draining away not only our brightest minds, but our most vibrant as well.
Dami, US/Nigeria

Have Africans ever been part of Europe and considered a priority in anything at all? That should be the question.
Bala, USA

It will create competition when African countries with a dearth of resources will not compete at any level with EU countries.
Baguoot Lual Baguoot, South Sudanese in U.S.

It will definitely improve the living conditions for East European countries. Africa will not be too much affected since even before the expansion of the Union they never played any significant role.
Wickson Njoroge, Germany

At least time has come for Africans who are educated in Europe to go home and contribute towards African development, just like the Asians are doing.
Stanley Akarulam, Nigeria in U.K.

The expansion of the EU to Africa means much lose than gain in both business and economic concerns. In terms of human resources the new members in the Union are to be given the first priority. This means for Africa to trade with Europe much advances must be in place with competent technology in production and supply - which I see as nothing but a day-dream.
William L. Shamata, Tanzania

The enlargement of the EU is very important for Africa. We first have to see the question in a global way - the EU becoming stronger will make a "balance" in this world and it will profit Africa in its integral development. In the short run Africa may be negatively affected as the EU will be trying to organize itself, but don't think that Africans are sleeping. We will try to get a new kind of cooperation with the EU, US and other continents as well.
Saleh Idi Emmanuel, DR Congo

Africa will suffer because the EU will only help the rich countries. That is why all of Africa needs to unite.
Hazel, USA

It certainly will affect many immigrants from Africa to Europe and even those who are there currently making a living. Trading with African countries of course will decline.
Mubarak Mujeeb Badrudeen, Nigerian in Uganda

African Nations, its leaders and its peoples need to work on their economies and maximise the resources they have. The implications of a powerful EU are certainly going to be a wake-up call in the next 7-10 years. Africans should not be aiming to secure jobs solely in Europe but also looking to creating stable and viable jobs in their own countries! This is part of the problem; our mindsets need to change otherwise we will always be begging Europe for the breadcrumbs that fall like snowflakes from their proverbial economic table.
D. Sappor, England

I think that Africa will always be on the agenda of the EU in so far as it in line with the interest of the EU itself. Jobs that go to citizens outside the EU will be because of skill shortages. Who is the world kidding? Africa is not on anyone's agenda.
Olu, Nigerian in the UK

Europe has attracted migrants - legal and illegal - from both Asia and Africa. However, it is a sort of responsibility for EU member states to help their poorer eastern neighbours when they join the EU. So a priority for Europeans in jobs in the EU is justified, so that they can also have a fair chance to develop, after the terrible blight of communism.
Raamesh, India

I do not believe that there is any negativity in the expansion of EU to Africa. If EU decided to expand by absorbing poor eastern European countries into its fold, it means as time goes on, Africa will still come next in the reckoning of the Europeans.
Adigun Olosun, Nigerian in Germany

I think the enlargement of the EU isn't necessarily a bad thing for Africans and Africa. I see the likely reduction of aid to Africa as a good thing for many African countries. The African Union in particular should learn from it. Empowering its own people and capacity building should be things Africans must concentrate on rather than dependency on aid.
MJ Nakuwa Jnr, UK

I don't think that we should not be happy that Europe is enlarging, perhaps we innovative Africans can go to those places that the new Europeans are living, places which they think is arid and use our ingenuity to showcase the hidden potentials in those places. The average African may be lazy at home, but once he is abroad and has to survive, there is no limit to his ability to create something out of nothing.
Tunde Asaju, Nigeria

EU will now show its global institutionalised economical discrimination, throwing the Africans states away, forgetting that Africa contributed to her economy for many centuries through colonialisation and neo-colonialisation.
Foster, Malawi

As if there has ever been good coming from Europe to Africa! Let Britain close its doors and mind its own business. Africa then will be alright.
Agraro, Canada

In regard to foreign aid, since Africa has a lot to offer in terms of natural resources and untapped market, the EU would still continue with the financial and institutional support. Hence, I don't see any implication on the African development strategy.
Yitatek Yitbarek, Ethiopian/South Africa

There is no doubt about it. I've discussed this topic many times with friends. With the economy of most of those eastern European countries like that of some African states, many immigrants will go to the west in search of work and they will be favoured, because of their skin and as an EU member. As a result, if Africans were fighting hard to settle in Europe, they will have to fight this time very very hard. I think the only way out is a unified Africa as well.
William Tangwan, UK

As an Egyptian, I hope our leaders will recreate in Africa the same kind of political and economic union that has served Europe so well over the past 50 years. We should remember that before creating the European Union, Europe had been torn apart by centuries of war, religious persecution, genocide, culminating in two World Wars in the 20th Century. If the Europeans can manage to build continental unity on such a terrible and scarred history, then we Africans can too.
Khalid Sabri, Egypt living in UK

European Union in its very existence implies exclusivity; the exclusion of non-European including Africans. In theory African should never expect much from this Union, especially in the area of trade. Nevertheless, Africans can make the best out of the situation by learning the importance of working together.
Michel, Cameroon/USA

EU enlargement in the short term will take away all political and economic focus from Africa. In the long term, EU could be the better business partner, due to standardisation of business with a single currency and regulations. On the other hand EU could be a lesson for African Unions, how once that were enemy states are now working together.
Achibo, Ethiopia

It is certainly bad news for Africans. But I think EU countries would have to adjust their policies to accommodate African immigrant workers. Afterall, Europe needs Africa. An impoverished Africa will not be pleasant to Europeans.
Theophilus Abbah, Nigeria

As it is right now, it is very difficult for Africans to get well paying part-time jobs in Europe since priority is given to people coming from EU member countries. The increase in EU membership will certainly affect Africa. Aid will certainly be reduced and/or be redirected to the 'poorer' European countries joining the EU.
M W M, Germany

It is a welcome development for the EU but definitely it will victimise Africans.
Scott Odiase, Nigerian in Italy