Fears of an migrant ‘invasion’ from Romania and Bulgaria have gripped richer EU countries like the UK and Germany, now that visa restrictions for them expired at the start of this year. The UK has cracked down on so-called welfare tourism; Germany is considering similar measures.

How justified are these fears, given that studies show migrants contribute more than they receive from the economies to which they move?

To what extent will populist parties profit from these concerns in May’s European elections?

Those are the subjects under discussion in this edition of The Network hosted by anchor Chris Burns from our studio in Brussels.

His panel includes Minodora Cliveti, a Romanian member of parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee, and a member of the Socialists and Democrats or S&D.

Also taking part is Stuart Agnew, a member of the UK Independence Party. He is on the agriculture and fisheries committees and is a substitute on the Committee on Constitutional Affairs.

Having her say from London is Alex Glennie, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Public Policy Research.