Strong attack against the freedom of movement of EU citizens: turning back the clock

Last week, in a joint letter to the Irish presidency, four Ministers – representing Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom – launched a strong attack regarding the freedom of movement of EU citizens. The letter’s recurrent argument is the perceived need to protect freedom of movement against abuses, in particular where it is straining social systems. Consequently, in this letter, the ministers request to adopt new restrictive and punitive measures.