The reduction or the freezing of funds for education and teachers’ wages, a lack of teacher training opportunities, inadequate working conditions and infringements upon teachers’ collective bargaining rights are some of the disastrous effects that the austerity policies of EU member states have had. Eastern Europe has been hit particularly hard by these policies, especially Bulgaria, Romania and Latvia. 1

In Bulgaria, the GDP for secondary and higher education from the 2013 Budget is 3.5 %. That number represents 9.3% of the total expenditure in the State Budget for Before the economic crisis this number was 4.2%. In 2008, 344 schools in Bulgaria were closed and more than 8,000 teachers and education staff lost their jobs. 2

In Romania, the GDP for secondary and higher education from the 2013 Budget is 2.82%. Before the economic crisis this number was 4.2%. Since 2008, expenditure for education in Romania has decreased by 25%, and teachers’ salaries by 40%. In Romania, the teaching profession is undervalued. A new teacher’s gross salary is 200 euro, and the maximum teacher’s salary is 600 euro. In 2010, Romania closed 1,000 schools, and more than 40,000 teachers and education staff lost their jobs. Romanian teachers' unions struggle to ensure good working conditions and fair pay, much like those in Bulgaria. 3

Latvia has experienced severe economic consequences in education, particularly in the area of social dialogue. Despite the efforts made by unions, the government chose to reduce the salaries of teachers by 40% and to remove 59% of the funds for the education system. Teachers unions in Latvia have sought aid from EI and the European Committee for Education for assistance and support in negotiations with the government and direct employers, but restoring the confidence of teachers to unions will still be a difficult task. 4

In Bulgaria, 27% of teachers and educational staff are among the least-paid workers. The European Commission’s analysis shows that more and more European countries have reduced or frozen teachers' salaries during the crisis. Wages decreased in at least 16 European countries, and froze in the remaining 11 countries. Bulgaria is among those countries listed with frozen salaries of teachers in primary and secondary schools. 5

It is necessary to lower the requirements in our countries towards: the use of EU structural funds may improve regional disparities in Education; the implementation of a systematic approach to data collection at a sub-regional level, through which information can be provided to facilitate decision making in education systems by teacher unions; the application of a European minimum standard for the qualification of teachers, teacher training programs, university preparation and payroll; the strengthening of social dialogue at the regional level; the strengthening of teacher unions via union cooperation; The examination of the economic crisis as well as ways to overcome it. 6

What are the negative effects of the regional disparities in education? Balanced development and economic growth between countries in the EU have been hindered, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. A greater inequality between countries. Migration to more developed countries has increased. The nature, scale and impact of the inequalities in education quality now differ substantially between EU countries. 7