Brussels, 23/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission approved, on the initiative of Commissioner Antonio Vitorino, the draft Directive on the "right of Union citizens and their families to move and reside freely in the territory of the Member States". This proposal establishes a legal reference framework that simplifies the decision by an individual to move in all the Member States. It is vital to explain to citizens this new right, stated Mr Vitorino to the press, when recalling that 20 million citizens have already used this right to free movement and are thus concerned by this proposal. Thus we have repaired a relative injustice with regard to three other founding freedoms of the EC. Until now barriers to mobility remained very significant. Here we have taken into account citizenship, he added. We have proposed a revision of the existing legislation (two regulations and nine Directives) which will be replaced by a more clear and transparent legislative instrument, noted Mr Vitorino when explaining the innovations of this text:
I. Simplification of administrative formalities: 1) for stays of less than six months in another country of the EU, it is sufficient to hold an identity document, and no legal formality is required; 2) for stays of six month to four years, the citizen must assure the hosting State, that he is carrying out of an economic activity or the has sufficient resources and a health insurance; 3) after four years of legal and continuous residence, the citizen will gain the status of permanent resident in the host Member State. The Commission also underlined that: a) those working (salaried worker and non salaried), the only condition for the right to stay remains the carrying out of an economic activity proved through a simple declaration; b) for those not working and students, the condition of sufficient resources and health insurance is maintained for the first four years of residence in the hosting State. All this has as consequence the abolition of the residency permit for Union citizens, indicated Mr Vitorino, when explaining that this card is replaced with a simple registration with the population services.
II. Rules on family grouping: to better achieve free movement, it is necessary to maintain family unity (…) linked to the right to the protection of family life, fundamental right forming part of the common constitutional traditions of the Member States" and which is included in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, commented Mr Vitorino.