VIENNA, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has announced it would open infringement proceedings against Austria for reducing child benefits for Austria-based foreign workers whose children live in poorer EU countries.

The plan was initially announced by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in 2015, when he was foreign minister, citing the lower living cost in some countries as the reason.

The plan came into effect since the commencement of the new year.

The European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Marianne Thyssen said Thursday in response to the issue that there are "no second-class workers and no second-class children in the EU", the Krone newspaper reported. She also called Austria's approach "deeply unfair."

Austria now has two months to change the law in question, though as it appears it will not, the matter will go before the European Court of Justice, where it could take until 2021 to see closure.