EU backs free movement principle

The European Union has promised 'major steps' to make full freedom of movement a reality within its 25 member states. On 30 April 2006, the deadline expired for Member States to bring into force the transposition measures necessary to comply with Directive 2004/38/EC on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of the Member States adopted on 29 April 2004 by the European Parliament and the Council. The basic concept of the Directive, based on a Commission proposal, is that Union citizens should be able to move between Member States on similar terms as nationals of a Member State moving around or changing their place of residence in their own country.

European Commission: Press Release: IP/06/554: Enhancement of free movement and residence rights for EU citizens: a new milestone in EU integration process, 2.5.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/554&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: MEMO/06/179: The Directive on the right to move and reside freely in the Union / Seven million European citizens already live in another Member State, 2.5.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/179&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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