The European Parliament adopted a resolution tabled by the Committee on Petitions on the obstacles to EU citizens’ freedom to move and work in the internal market.

The Committee on Petitions has received several petitions raising concerns about the different obstacles encountered by EU citizens in exercising their freedom of movement.

Members expressed their deepest concern at the practice by some Member States, in breach of the principle of freedom of movement of workers, of expelling European citizens who have been employed there shortly after the expiration of their employment contract.

Recalling that the freedom of movement constitutes a fundamental right of EU citizens, Parliament called on the Member States to remove any discriminatory practices and unnecessary barriers from their rules for EU citizens and their family members, including non-EU family members, with a view to facilitating labour mobility in the EU.

Member States are called upon to:

comply with current EU legislation and the fundamental principles of labour law in order to protect all EU workers. Existing conditions should be better defined to allow EU citizens and third-country-national family members to benefit from their social rights; establish single national websites in order to improve their guidance and counselling activities to further strengthen citizens’ freedom to move, work and study in other Member States and to raise public awareness; deliver clear guidelines and proper training for the civil servants and administrative employees involved in the implementation of the social rights of EU and non-EU citizens; implement as a matter of urgency the European Disability Card , which would facilitate the travel and movement of persons with disabilities from one Member State to another; enhance consular and judicial cooperation on child-custody cases among Member States; further standardise academic titles and continuous education diplomas by Member States and ensure better administrative cooperation and simpler and faster procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications;; adopt legislation prohibiting the use of blank promissory notes in employment relationships across the EU; ensure efficient and timely reimbursement of cross -border healthcare , including the reimbursement of medicines.

The Commission shall:

clarify its guidance for better transposition and application of Directive 2004/38/EC in order to notably include the recent rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU); improve the effectiveness of tools created to offer information on job and learning opportunities across the EU, such as EURES and PLOTEUS , and to further raise public awareness about them; enhance SOLVIT, for instance with the creation of a helpline, and for the reinforcement of any other competent authorities to which EU citizens can address their specific inquiries concerning the internal market.

Parliament also called for: (i) better coordination in the EU taxation framework in order to eliminate double taxation; (ii) better harmonisation of the interpretation of ‘habitual residence’; (iii) remedy the lack of broadband connectivity, especially in remote, rural and mountainous areas.