With over 14 million EU citizens resident in another Member State on a stable basis, free movement – or the ability to live, work and study anywhere in the Union – is the EU right most cherished by Europeans. The main motivation for EU citizens to make use of free movement is work-related, followed by family reasons. Of all the EU citizens residing in another EU country (‘mobile EU citizens’) in 2012, more than three quarters (78%) were of working age (15-64), compared to around 66% among nationals. On average the employment rate of mobile EU citizens (67.7%) was higher than among nationals (64.6%).
Mobile EU citizens not in employment (namely students, retired persons, jobseekers and inactive family members) represent only a limited share of the total number of mobile EU citizens. Moreover, 64% of them had worked previously in their current country of residence. 79 % are living in a household with at least one member in employment. The overall rate of inactivity among intra-EU mobile citizens declined between 2005 and 2012 from 34.1% to 30.7%.
Free movement of citizens, which is enshrined in the EU Treaties, is an integral component of the Single Market and a central element of its success: it stimulates economic growth by enabling people to travel and shop across borders. Equally, the free movement of workers benefits not only the workers involved but also the Member States’ economies, allowing for an efficient matching of skills with vacancies in the EU labour market. Despite the economic crisis, today around 2 million vacancies remain unfilled in the EU.
The Communication on Free Movement adopted today by the European Commission underlines the joint responsibility of Member States and the EU institutions to uphold EU citizens’ rights to live and work in another EU country and outlines concrete actions to support Member States efforts to do so while helping Member States to reap the positive benefits it brings. The policy paper clarifies EU citizens’ rights to free movement and access to social benefits, and addresses the concerns raised by some Member States in relation to the challenges that mobility can represent for local authorities.
Read the whole Press release: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-1041_en.htm