L 356/90 Official Journal of the European Union 22.12.2012 COMMISSION DECISION of 20 December 2012 authorising Spain to extend the temporary suspension of the application of Articles 1 to 6 of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on freedom of movement for workers within the Union with regard to Romanian workers (2012/831/EU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Having regard to the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded ('), and in particular Article 23 and paragraph 7 second subparagraph of Annex VII, Part 1. ‘Freedom of movement for persons’, thereof, Having regard to the request from Spain of 13 December 2012, Whereas: (1) Spain had been fully applying Articles 1 to 6 of Regu- lation (EEC) No 1612/68 of the Council of 15 October 1968 on freedom of movement for workers within the Community (3 to Romanian nationals since 1 January 2009 when it notified the Commission on 22 July 2011, with reference to a serious disturbance of the Spanish labour market, pursuant to paragraph 7 third subparagraph of Annex VII Part 1 to the Act concerning the conditions of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria and Romania and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the European Union is founded (hereinafter ‘the 2005 Act of Accession’), that it had decided on that day to re-introduce restrictions on labour market access for Romanian workers. Regulation (EEC) No 1612/68 was codified and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2011 on freedom of movement for workers within the Union (}), which entered into force on 16 June 2011. In response to a request by Spain on 28 July 2011 to the Commission  pursuant to paragraph 7 second subparagraph of Annex VII Part 1 to the 2005 Act of Accession to state that Articles 1 to 6 of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 be wholly suspended in respect of Romanian workers throughout Spain and in all sectors, the Commission authorised Spain by Decision 2011/503[EU (%) to limit the free access of Romanian workers to the Spanish labour market until 31 December 2012, subject to certain conditions. This Decision entered into force on 12 August 2011. 157, 21.6.2005, p. 203. 257, 19.10.1968, p. 2. () O] L () O] L () OJ L 141, 27.5.2011, p. 1. () O L 207, 12.8.2011, p. 22. G) Spain asked the Commission by letter of 13 December 2012 to extend the suspension of Articles 1-6 of Regu- lation (EU) No 492/2011 in respect of Romanian workers until 31 December 2013. Spain justifies its request by the fact that the two reasons underlying Decision 2011/503/EU remain: the serious disturbance of the Spanish labour market, affecting all regions and sectors; and the labour market situation of Romanian citizens residing in Spain as well as the risk that an unrestricted inflow of Romanian workers would increase pressure on the Spanish labour market. Spain provides statistical evidence indicating that the economic and labour market situation has further worsened since mid-2011, leading to record levels in unemployment and youth unemployment, and that the economic forecasts point to a contraction of the GDP in 2012 and 2013 and a further increase of unemployment. Moreover, Spain states that the disturbance of the Spanish labour market which seriously threatens levels of employment is of a general nature and not limited to a particular region or sector. Spain further provides statistical data indicating that the number of Romanian residents in Spain has continued to increase (despite restrictions on free access to the labour market for Romanian workers) and that they numbered 913 405 in September 2012; that the share of Romanian nationals who contribute to the social security system is decreasing; that the numbers of Romanian nationals registered as jobseeckers and of those receiving unemployment benefits are relatively high, albeit decreasing, and that their unemployment rate is higher than the average. Spain concludes that the current labour market situation affects its capacity to absorb new inflows of Romanian workers. According to Paragraph 7 second subparagraph of Annex VII Part 1 to the 2005 Act of Accession a Member State may request the Commission to state within two weeks that the application of Articles 1-6 of Regulation (EU) No 492/2011 be wholly or partially suspended in a given region or occupation. Analysis in 2011 of the economic data underlying Decision 2011/503/EU showed that Spain was indeed facing a serious labour market disturbance, characterised by the by far highest unemployment rate in the EU (Eurostat monthly unemployment data show 21,0 %, against 9,4 % on average in the EU and 9,9 % in the euro area in June 2011), a particularly dramatic