Brussels seeks to 'make it easier' for EU migrants to move to Britain
New Brussels proposals today defy British protests over benefit tourism and abuse of European Union free movement rules by making it easier for migrants to move to Britain including "redress against any breach of rights".
Migrants who believe they are not getting access to work or the same social benefits as Britons will be give "an appropriate means of redress at national level" under the new EU legisaltion. Photo: REX FEATURES
11:43AM BST 26 Apr 2013
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On Wednesday, Theresa May, the Home Secretary, with support from Germany, Austria and Holland wrote to the European Commission demanding tighter restrictions on access to welfare benefits and other state-funded services for EU migrants.
Two days later, the commission responded with a proposal for a new directive to "make it easier for people to exercise their rights in practice" in defiance of British claims that the current rules on free movement are being abused by migrants.
"With much higher levels of unemployment in some member states than others at the moment, it is all the more important to make it easier for those that want to work in another EU country to be able to do so," said Laszlo Andor, the EU commissioner for "employment, social affairs and inclusion".
"This proposal will help workers to overcome obstacles to working in another EU country."
Mr Andor dismissed British concerns and accused Mrs May of scaremongering over claims of benefit tourism by EU migrants "inflated because of domestic political reasons" ahead of free movement for Bulgarians and Romanians next year
"We have been requesting figures from the administration and we have never been given them," he said. It has been proven on a number of occasions that financial implications and estimates of EU migration have been significantly inflated."
The EU directive would oblige the Government to create "national contact points providing information, assistance and advice so that EU migrant workers, and employers, are better informed about their rights" including access to welfare benefits.
Migrants who believe they are not getting access to work or "social and tax advantages" as Britons will be give "an appropriate means of redress at national level" under the new EU legislation.
"Any EU worker who believes that he/she has been the victim of discrimination on the grounds of nationality should be able to make use of appropriate administrative and/or judicial procedures to challenge the discriminatory behaviour," requires the EU legislation.
Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party, attacked the commission for showing "utter contempt towards the legitimate concerns of British people over mass immigration from the EU".
"What they make clear is that the British taxpayer will be expected to pay to help migrants come here, and then train them in how to use our welfare system to get access to the whole range of benefits available. We need somebody in Downing Street who realises that while we are in the EU, the EU will always rule against our interests," he said.
In a joint letter on Wednesday to the commission, Britain, Germany, Austria and Holland warned that EU migrants are putting "considerable strain" on schools, healthcare and the welfare state.
The protest comes as tens of thousands of Romanian and Bulgarian migrants prepare to come to the Britain after restrictions on their right to work are lifted at the end of the year.
"On top of this strain on vital local services, a significant number of new immigrants draw social assistance in the host countries, frequently without a genuine entitlement, burdening the host countries' social welfare systems," said the letter.
A commission statement denied that EU migration was leading to problems. "Labour mobility in the EU benefits not only the workers involved but also the member states' economies. There is no evidence that migrant workers take jobs away from host country workers - and so produce goods and provide services that they would otherwise be unable to do."
In stark contrast to the commission's new proposal to make it easier for migrants to claim benefits, the four countries protested that under existing rules it is too difficult to deport "persons who have acted fraudulently or abused the provisions governing the freedom of movement".
"The way the provisions are construed now, however, means that they may not be subject to a ban on re-entry. In fact, those who have actually been expelled because of fraud or document forgery cannot be stopped from re-entering the country virtually the next day," the letter said.
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