Petr Ježek

British Prime Minister David Cameron recently presented his government’s plan to curb immigration into the UK, and promised to push through changes to the rules for the free movement of EU citizens.

Under the plan, job seekers from EU member states would have to leave the UK should they fail to find employment within six months. The plan also envisages that EU nationals would have to receive employment offers prior to their arrival in the UK.

MEPs Petr Ježek and Pavel Telička however point out that current EU legislation imposes no limits preventing EU nationals from moving to another member state in order to seek employment. Job seekers from EU countries also cannot be expelled provided that they can prove they continue searching for employment and that they have real prospect of getting employed.

The MEPs have therefore addressed a question (in Czech) to the European Commission on whether the planned moves by the British government would require amending the EU’s Lisbon treaty, and whether such changes would create an obstacle for the finalization of the single market.

The response (in Czech) of the EU commissioner for employment, social affairs, skills and labour mobility Marianne Thyssen, which the MEPs received last week, emphasizes that the right of EU citizens to move freely and work in other EU member states needs to be protected. Commissioner Thyssen also says in the case of EU nationals, who have worked in a host member state but lost their jobs and are in the processes of seeking employment, their right to stay in the respective country deserves particular protection.

The response however fails to mention whether, in the opinion of the European Commission, the planned moves by the British government contradict EU legislation and would therefore require changes to the Lisbon treaty. MEPs Telička and Ježek will therefore consider taking further action in this matter.

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