Two million British people emigrated to EU, figures show

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Series Details 10.02.14
Publication Date 10/02/2014
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On the 10 February 2014, EUObserver reported on UK statistics which indicated that approximately as many British citizens lived in other EU Member States as vice-versa, despite popular perceptions to the contrary.

The numbers, covering 2010, had been put forward on the previous week in a UK government response to a parliamentary question by Lord Oakeshott, a Liberal-Democrat member of the House of Lords.

The country breakdown reported, for example, that just over 1 million British people lived in Spain.

Other popular destinations were: France (330,000); Ireland (329,000); Germany (107,000); Cyprus (65,000); the Netherlands (48,000); Greece (45,000); Portugal (39,000); and Italy (37,000).

In an interview with The Guardian in February 2014, the EU Commissioner for employment, social affairs and inclusion, Laszlo Andor, said the movement of migrant labour mainly from eastern Europe to richer countries over the past decade was a win-win situation for Britain and deplored the quality of the UK debate, which he said was unlike anywhere else in Europe. He also considered that the UK Prime Minister David Cameron was posturing on the heated issues of migration, job seeking, and benefits tourism within the European Union.

The Guardian reported on the 27 February 2014 that net migration to UK head jumped 30% in a year to 212,000. with an unexpected rise of 58,0000 in 12 months to September 2013 mainly fuelled by migrants from recession-hit southern Europe.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://euobserver.com/social/123066
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Tory rebel pledges to reintroduce work restrictions on EU migrants http://www.europeansources.info/record/tory-rebel-pledges-to-reintroduce-work-restrictions-on-eu-migrants/
ESO: Background information: Migration statistics http://www.europeansources.info/record/migration-statistics/
The Guardian, 09.02.14: Cameron posturing on migration and benefits tourism, says EU jobs official http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/09/david-cameron-posturing-migration-job-seeking-benefits-tourism-laszlo-andor
UK: Parliament: House of Lords: Parliamentary Business: Lords Hansard by Member: Lords Member: Lord Oakeshott Of Seagrove Bay: Question, 04.02.14: Britons Living and Working Abroad http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201314/ldhansrd/text/140204w0001.htm#14020484000666
ESO: Background information: Speech: Labour Mobility in the European Union – The Inconvenient Truth http://www.europeansources.info/record/speech-labour-mobility-in-the-european-union-the-inconvenient-truth/
The Guardian, 27.02.14: Net migration to UK jumps 30% in a year to 212,000 http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/feb/27/net-migration-uk-jumps-30-percent
The Guardian, 02.03.14: Immigration target can still be met, says Tory chairman http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/mar/02/immigration-target-tory-chairman-nigel-farage-ukip
BBC News, 05.03.14: Immigration - what is the impact on British workers? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26447244

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