Brussels on guard over UK’s Romania, Bulgaria plan / David Cameron ‘exactly right’ on migration, says Michael Gove

The issue relating to controls over movement of EU citizens from one EU Member State to another has risen up the political agenda in a number of EU Member States, especially in the context of the end of transitional arrangements relating to citizens of Romania and Bulgaria in January 2014.

In the United Kingdom, in particular, newspapers reported on the 24 November 2013 that Prime Minister David Cameron was about to propose to quadruple the period that EU migrants needed to have spent in the UK before they would qualify for benefits from three months to a year. The details of the proposals were announced on the 26 November 2013.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said that Mr Cameron has 'struck exactly the right note on migration', but a Lib Dem cabinet minister suggested that this could put the UK on the wrong side of the argument.

European Commission spokesperson Jonathon Todd said on the 25 November 2013 that the Commission would assess the UK plans when details came out.

European Commissioner for Employment Laszlo Andor warned on the 27 November 2013 that the UK risked being seen as a 'nasty country' after Mr Cameron outlined the plans. Viviane Reding, EU's Justice Commissioner, signalled that free movement of people is “a fundamental pillar of the free market”, thus "non-negotiable".

David Cameron has later described comments by a European Commissioner about the UK's immigration policies as 'unacceptable'.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Recent waves of immigrants to the UK have contributed far more in taxes than they received in benefits http://www.europeansources.info/record/recent-waves-of-immigrants-to-the-uk-have-contributed-far-more-in-taxes-than-they-received-in-benefits/

EUObserver, 25.11.13: Brussels on guard over UK's Romania, Bulgaria plan http://euobserver.com/justice/122229

ESO: Background information: Impact of mobile EU citizens on national social security systems http://www.europeansources.info/record/impact-of-mobile-eu-citizens-on-national-social-security-systems/

EurActiv, 26.11.13: Cameron isolated on push for free movement restrictions http://www.euractiv.com/socialeurope/commission-alliance-free-movemen-news-531961

BBC News, 27.11.13: Migration plan could make UK look nasty - EU commissioner http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25114890

The Guardian, 27.11.13: EU migrants: David Cameron sets out more benefit restrictions http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/nov/27/david-cameron-benefit-restrictions-eu-migrants

EurActiv, 27.11.13: Cameron: ‘Free movement in EU needs to be less free’ http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/cameron-free-movement-eu-needs-f-news-531982

Financial Times / The Times, 27.11.13: Cameron to limit migrant benefits (va PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4356891-cameron-limit-migrant-benefits

The Guardian, 27.11.13: The rift over immigration to Britain continues to widen http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/25/rift-eu-immigration-to-britain

ESO: Background Information: Ending of transitional restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanian workers http://www.europeansources.info/record/ending-of-transitional-restrictions-for-bulgarian-and-romanian-workers/

ESO: Background Information: Romanians and Bulgarians working in UK up 26% http://www.europeansources.info/record/romanians-and-bulgarians-working-in-uk-up-26/

EUObserver, 27.11.13: UK asked to avoid 'hysterical' debate on migration http://euobserver.com/justice/122261

EurActiv, 28.11.13: Brussels hits back at UK’s 'nasty' proposal against free movement http://www.euractiv.com/uk-europe/commission-hit-back-uk-nasty-pro-news-532010

Blog: OpenEurope, 27.11.13: Will the European Commission challenge Cameron's crack-down on EU migrants’ access to benefits? http://openeuropeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/david-cameron-raises-stakes-in.html

BBC News, 29.11.13: Immigration: Cameron hits back at EU's Andor over 'nasty' claim http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25152062

Deutsche Welle, 29.11.13: Cameron attacks a fundamental freedom http://dw.de/p/1AQXj

Spiegel Online International, 29.11.13: Poverty Migration: Berlin Backs UK's 'Benefit Tourism' Offensive http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/germany-joins-uk-in-calling-for-measures-against-benefit-tourism-a-936350.html

Blog: Social Europe Journal, 27.11.13; European Migration: David Cameron’s Attack On The European Union http://www.social-europe.eu/2013/11/european-migration/

Blog: EuroDialogue, 02.12.13: Energy Security NATO Europe's East EU Central Asia Strategy Cameron attacks a fundamental freedom http://eurodialogue.org/Cameron-attacks-a-fundamental-freedom

European Voice, 02.12.13: Populism trumps practical in migrant debate (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4364731-populism-trumps-practical-migrant-debate

EUObserver, 04.12.13: German conservatives stir up 'welfare tourism' row http://euobserver.com/social/122339

Standart, 04.12.13: The EU’s ‘useful barbarians’ (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4374831-eu-s-useful-barbarians

European Movement: Eurobriefing, 05.12.13: Migrants from Central and Eastern Europe have been hugely beneficial for the British economy. Joint Statement on the Free Movements of Persons by the Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad countries – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia http://ymlp.com/z4zOpL

Social Europe Journal, 11.12.13: Pseudo-Research Pulls 385,000 Migrants Out Of A Hat http://www.social-europe.eu/2013/12/uk-immigration-pseudo-research/

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