An unexpected ethical issue arose when Hungary, Romania, Spa and Bulgaria joined the European Union (EU.) The start of the free movement of workers across the EU meant that workers from these countries could effectively undercut the domestic workforce. Wages in Eastern Europe were considerably lower than its Western counterparts, but recruitment agencies actively hired to help businesses drive down their salary and wage bills. With unemployment being relatively high in France, the United Kingdom, and Spain, for example, recruiters offered high-quality workers a fraction of the domestic Locals were being priced out