Germany prepares tighter controls on EU ‘welfare tourists’

Series Title
Series Details 25.03.14
Publication Date 25/03/2014
Content Type

A government panel set up in Germany in January 2014 to look at fears in a number of German cities about the abuse of the EU's free movement principles by citizens from Eastern and Central Europe issued an interim report on the 26 March 2014.

The report recommended that Germany screened job-seekers from other European Union states for 'welfare tourists' and people not qualified for employment and then expel benefit fraudsters and block their return for a fixed period.

The conclusions of the German report was also of interest to other EU Member States such as Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, who had similar concerns.

Germany stressed it was not challenging the fundamental principle of free movement of people within the EU.

Open Europe highlighted that the key question remained whether the proposed suggestions would be judged to be consistent with EU law. This remained unclear and whether or not a challenge from the ECJ was forthcoming would certainly set a precedent in this area.

The final report from the panel was due to be published in June 2014.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/germany-prepares-tighter-controls-eu-welfare-tourists-301114
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Migration debate in Germany: Romanian, Bulgarian migrants good for Germany, study says http://www.europeansources.info/record/migration-debate-in-germany-romanian-bulgarian-migrants-good-for-germany-study-says/
EUObserver, 25.03.14: German government to curb 'welfare tourism' http://euobserver.com/social/123608
EurActiv, 26.03.14: German panel lays down restrictions on EU immigrants http://www.euractiv.com/sections/social-europe-jobs/german-panel-lays-down-restrictions-eu-immigrants-301168
Euronews, 27.03.14: Germany moves to tackle benefit cheats as concerns grow over rising immigration http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/27/germany-moves-to-tackle-benefit-cheats-as-concerns-grow-over-rising-immigration/
BBC News, 27.03.14: Germany to revise EU migrant benefits to stop abuses http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26764283
Blog: Open Europe, 27.03.14: Free movement: Germany pushes the limits of EU law http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/free-movement-germany-pushes-limits-of.html
Blog: EU Law Analysis:, 27.03.14: Can unemployed EU citizens be expelled and banned from re-entry? http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/can-unemployed-eu-citizens-be-expelled.html
Deutsche Welle, 12.02.14: Belgium: Expelling EU Citizens http://dw.de/p/1B7jy
Spiegel Online International, 05.06.14: Immigration to Germany: 'Better Qualified than the Domestic Population' http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/interview-on-german-demographics-immigration-and-integration-a-973320.html

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