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Freedom of movement and residence for EU citizens
February 11, 2003 12:00 AM
By Sarah Ludford MEP in European Parliament
By Sarah Ludford MEP in European Parliament
Ludford (ELDR). - Madam President, this proposal finally delivers on the 50-year-old promise to allow EU citizens and their families to reside in another Member State. It is great news for the cause of freedom. But to listen to some, including 'conservatives' in the British Labour Government, you would think it was all about facilitating illegal immigration and terrorism. It is time for this misinformed hysteria in the UK to stop. There are sufficient safeguards in this measure and in EU law.
On the definition of family that EU citizens can take with them when they move, this must at least respect the law in the country of original residence. Why should a Swedish gay registered partnership lose all recognition of status when they move, for instance, to Italy? Governments, including the British one, are very happy to champion the mutual recognition principle in criminal penalties, including the European arrest warrant. Let us also champion it for freedom and rights for people, including British people.
Ludford (ELDR). - Mr President, I would like to ask the Commissioner a question. He said that the only problem for a couple in a registered partnership was when one of them was a foreign national. If they are both EU nationals, under Article 18, they could both independently move to another State. That is true, but what they lose is the status of registered partnership and the tax or social rights that go with that. For instance, the right to be recognised as next of kin if one of them is in hospital. His answer does not address that issue.
It is not just an immigration question, it is also a question of recognition as a family. I do not think he can just get around that, and I believe the mutual recognition argument has strong force, as in other sectors like criminal law.
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