European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
free movement of persons
Families with mixed nationalities [What Europe does for you]
EU law ensures that your family members can move with you from one EU country to another. Your spouse, children under 21 and some other dependent family members have the right to reside in the same country, irrespective of their nationality. Continue reading
Security of ID cards and of residence documents issued to EU citizens and their families
Currently, there are at least 86 different versions of identity cards (ID cards) and 181 types of residence documents in circulation in the EU. The Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC) stipulates the conditions that EU citizens and their third-country-national family members need to meet in order to exercise their right of free movement and residence within the Union. Continue reading
People living in border regions [What Europe does for you]
If you are one of the 150 million people living near an internal EU border, you probably cross it regularly, whether for work, study, shopping or leisure. The EU makes such trips easier. Continue reading
European Labour Authority [EU Legislation in Progress]
The rapid increase in the number of Europeans working in a Member State other than their own, the large number of daily cross-border commuters and the need for information on job opportunities and rights at home and abroad (ensured by good cooperation between national authorities) necessitates the establishment of a European-level coordinating body. Continue reading
EU citizens moving across borders [What Europe does for you]
With European elections coming up in May 2019, you probably want to know how the European Union impacts your daily life, before you think about voting. In the latest in a series of posts on what Europe does for you, your family, your business and your wellbeing, we look at what Europe does for EU citizens moving across borders. Continue reading
Area of freedom, security and justice: Untapped potential
Since the entry into force of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam, the EU offers its citizens an area of freedom, security and justice (AFSJ). Continue reading
European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) [EU Legislation in Progress][Policy Podcast]
Strengthening the EU’s external borders is key to ensure internal security and to preserve freedom of movement in the Schengen area. Continue reading
The Brexit negotiations: Issues for the first phase
Written by Alessandro D’Alfonso, Eva-Maria Poptcheva, James McEldowney and Laura Tilindyte, Negotiations on the arrangements for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union started on 19 June 2017. The European Commission is negotiating on behalf of the EU, on the basis of the European Council’s guidelines and the subsequent mandate from the Council. The … Continue reading
Schengen area: Update and state of play
Written by Alexandra Gatto, Pierre Goudin, Risto Niemenen, Passport-free travel across the Schengen area has been called into question as a result of pressure on certain internal EU borders from the rising number of asylum-seekers and migrants seeking to reach certain Member States, as well as security concerns in the wake of the Paris terrorist … Continue reading
Welfare in Europe: Access and safeguards as regards to social assistance and benefits
The EU provisions regarding access to social assistance and social security benefits are recurrently discussed in some Member States and at the EU level. 3 language versions available in PDF format EN: Welfare in Europe: Access and safeguards as regards to social assistance and benefits FR: Protection sociale en Europe: accès et sauvegardes en ce … Continue reading
2014: a great year in European politics? A great year on the EPRS Think Tank Blog
Written by Clare Ferguson 2014 was an interesting year for us at the EPRS. Debate on all things European broke out all over, with the European elections in May, a new European Commission, and increasingly vocal arguments for and against integration, independence, immigration and invigoration of the EU economy. Not surprisingly then, our top posts … Continue reading
Freedom of movement and residence of EU citizens : Access to social benefits
Over the past few decades, the focus around issues of free movement has shifted away from workers and towards EU citizenship, whereby worker status is no longer the only route opening access for EU citizens to social benefits in a host Member State. The two EU enlargements in 2004 and 2007, as well as the … Continue reading
EU Citizenship and residence permits for sale
Granting residence permits to non-EU citizens who make substantial investments seems to be a common practice for a number of EU Member States (MS). Some of them, like recently Malta, go further by granting third-country investors full citizenship although mostly after first granting residence rights (e.g. Austria, Bulgaria and Cyprus). Since Article 21 of the … Continue reading
Une Union de droits
2013, Année européenne des citoyens sera officiellement close à Vilnius les 12 et 13 décembre prochains. Cette année a permis de sensibiliser l’ensemble des citoyens européens à leurs droits et leurs devoirs. L’intégration européenne, assise à l’origine sur le marché commun, a évolué pour s’appuyer aujourd’hui sur la citoyenneté de l’UE, créant ainsi une véritable Union de … Continue reading
Welfare benefits and intra-EU mobility
“Welfare tourism” expresses the concern that individuals use the right of free movement of persons with a view to benefiting from a more favourable welfare system. The principle of free movement of persons entitles EU citizens to reside in another Member State, under certain conditions. Only limited restrictions can curtail this right, namely temporary restrictions … Continue reading
Migration in the EU
A migrant is “any person who lives temporarily or permanently in a country where he or she was not born and has acquired some significant social ties to this country,” UNESCO. This document focuses on migration within the EU, in the context of both EU citizens’ rights of free movement and residence, and of Member … Continue reading
Revising Schengen governance rules
6 language versions available in PDF format Überarbeitung der Schengen-Bestimmungen Revisando las normas de gobernanza de Schengen Révision des règles de gouvernance de Schengen Revisione delle norme sulla governance di Schengen Przegląd przepisów dotyczących zarządzania strefą Schengen Revising Schengen governance rules After a year of negotiations the European Parliament (EP) and the Council have reached … Continue reading
Further steps to complete the Single Market
Mainly due to late or incomplete transposition and implementation of legislation, the Single Market is not yet fully completed, especially in areas such as network industries, Digital Single Market and mobility of people. Liberalisation of network industries is especially challenging and produces mixed results with regards to performance and consumer benefits. Deepening the Single Market … Continue reading
Technology and Schengen Governance
On the 21 March 2013 the LIBE Committee organised a hearing on Schengen Governance and Border Management with the aim of presenting the state of play and latest developments, with a particular eye to the switch-on of the revised Schengen Information System (SIS II) scheduled for the 9 April 2013. Biometric passports The pursuit of … Continue reading
Schengen governance after the Lisbon Treaty
Governance of the Schengen Area aims to find the balance between freedom of movement and the need for security, in the context of increasing globalisation. Within the European integration process, freedom of movement started with workers, as part of the establishment of a common market. Initially intergovernmental, involving five States, the Schengen foundations were incorporated … Continue reading
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