Brussels, 25/08/2011 (Agence Europe) - One year on from the stand off between the Commission and France over the expulsion of Roma, the European executive, on Thursday 25 August, hailed its achievements on freedom of movement and the fact that most member states had addressed concerns it had raised, the Commission says in a press release.
The Commission says that its “determined action” has helped resolve “90% of open free movement cases” since last year. “Several events last year had highlighted important problems with the respect of procedural and substantive guarantees under the EU's Free Movement Directive”, the Commission says, indicating that it “took action to ensure that all 27 member states fully comply with the EU's free movement rights”.
In 2011, the Commission notes that “16 member states have either fully addressed the Commission's concerns or have drafted amending legislation to ensure full compliance with the directive”. For the remaining member states - Austria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom - the Commission “has started or is considering infringement proceedings under the EU Treaties”.
“Last summer's events (when France expelled Roma) were a wake-up call for Europe. The Commission will not hesitate to speak out if member states do not properly apply this fundamental right, notably the procedural safeguards that protect EU citizens from facing arbitrary or disproportionate expulsion”, states Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding in a press release. She says, however, that she is “now satisfied that a majority of member states have fully implemented the EU free movement rules”.
Since summer 2010, a total of 786 issues have been identified by the Commission and raised in bilateral meetings with member states. Only 75 issues remain outstanding and are now the subject of infringement proceedings, the most frequently encountered problems, in terms of the 2004 directive, being entry and residence for family members, residence cards for third-country nationals and safeguards against expulsions.
As for the Roma situation, the Commission says it is now a matter of waiting for the national integration strategies which member states are required to submit before the end of the year, in line with Reding's communication of 5 April. Over the past year, the Commission has continued to work closely together with member states to facilitate the use of structural funds - in particular the European Social Fund (ESF) in support of Roma inclusion. Bilateral seminars have taken place in Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Romania that have allowed the exchange of good practices and expertise about successful ESF projects. (S.P./transl.rt)