BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Commission says Greece, Spain, Hungary and Portugal are lifting restrictions on workers from new EU members Romania and Bulgaria.

The four join 10 EU nations that already allow people from the newest members to work. Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

The EU executive appealed to other members Thursday to also lift restrictions preventing Romanians and Bulgarians from working legally. Eleven EU states have notified the EU they will continue to restrict Romanian and Bulgarian workers this year, meaning they'll have to apply for work permits.

Under EU rules, citizens have the right to work anywhere in the union, but nations were allowed to impose restrictions on the new members for up to seven years.