Semi-Sovereign Welfare States, Social Rights of EU Migrant Citizens and the Need for Strong State Capacities

National welfare states within the European Union have become semi-sovereign and can no longer limit benefits and services to national citizens. Significantly limiting the social rights of EU migrant citizens would very likely require treaty changes. Some countries, such as Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom, absorb a large proportion of intra-EU, East-West migration. Nevertheless, the overall proportion of EU migrant citizens resident in Germany and the UK is slightly less than 4%, and in Spain about 4.5%, of the total population. Semi-sovereign EU welfare states require strong state capacities to deal with the complexities of EU citizenship and associated social rights.

This paper presents a brief overview of the legal foundations of EU Citizenship and associated social rights, provides some data on the actual number of EU migrant citizens and their take up of benefits and social services. The authors argue that in many instances there is insufficient data to make any strong claims about
benefit reliance or social service usage and that the weakness of the UK state and its incapacity to effectively implement EU regulations are core factors relevant to – yet largely missing from – the current debate.

ESO: Background information: Prime Minister's speech on proposals to restrict benefits to EU migrants, 27 November 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/david-cameron-prime-ministers-speech-on-immigration-28-november-2014/

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