Future EU countries could face new migration curbs

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has said future EU members could face extra controls on movement of workers in a concession to the UK.

It noted in an enlargement strategy paper, published on Wednesday (8 October), that past rounds of accession have caused “migratory pressure on the EU”.

Promising to do a new impact study on the problem, it added: “The possible need for and nature of transitional controls and/or a safeguard mechanism on the free movement of workers will be addressed in the course of accession negotiations on future enlargement”.

Under current rules, existing member states can impose “transitional controls” of up to seven years before people from new members enjoy full EU rights to come in search of jobs.

But the UK has complained that even this is not enough to stop exceedingly large numbers moving from poorer countries in the east to the rich west.

Britain’s lifting of restrictions on Romania in January this year did not result in a large influx despite tabloid hysteria.

But Prime Minister David Cameron i has also come under strain to sound tough on immigration amid gains by the eurosceptic Ukip party ahead of next year’s elections and ahead of an in/out referendum on EU membership in 2017.

Writing in an op-ed in the Financial Times last November, he said one idea is to limit freedom of movement until new entrants attain “a certain income or economic output per head”. His second idea was to be able to impose a “cap” if the number of migrants from a given country went beyond an agreed figure in any given year.

David Liddington, his Europe minister, on Wednesday welcomed the new initiative, saying “I am pleased that the commission has taken it up”.

He also said it is proof the British voice still counts in Brussels despite the in/out vote plans: “This is further evidence that we are working with partners to shape the debate about the future of Europe”.

The UK is one of the few advocates of further EU expansion among the older member states.

It says that Turkey, a fast-growing Muslim country of 75 million people, should also one day join for “strategic” reasons.

A UK diplomat told this website the EU change is needed “maintain confidence” in enlargement in the wider British public.

He also noted that every EU state has a potential veto over individual steps in the enlargement process, such as the opening or closing of legislative “chapters” on labour in the accession talks.