Brussels, 18/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 18 December, UK Prime Minister David Cameron stated his government's intentions with regard to European migrants trying to come to work in the UK - particularly migrants from Romania and Bulgaria, for whom barriers to European labour markets will be completely lifted on 1 January. Responding to the fears of the British of seeing hoards of Romanians and Bulgarians landing in the UK and abusing social benefits, Cameron (Conservative) announced that, from 1 January, any migrant arriving in the UK will have to wait for three months before claiming benefits - the current system provides for a period of one month. Other proposals could also complicate life for migrants not having a good level of English. In Cameron's view, these measures should make the UK less attractive for people wanting to go and live there at the expense of the state, Reuters reports.
The European Commission “will examine the newly announced measures”, Jonathan Todd, the spokesperson for European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Laszlo Andor, said on Wednesday. However, Todd pointed out that “any migrant looking for work in the UK has the right to receive his unemployment benefit from his country of origin for a period of three months - and even six for some countries”. Todd also reiterated that until now no proof has been found that “Europeans come to abuse the British social system”. (SP/transl.fl)