Brussels, 26/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the Council adopted on Tuesday, without debate, the draft directive on long stay residents, on which Interior Ministers reached a political agreement in June EUROPE 6 June). Throughout the EU, third country nationals are now going to be able to benefit from the status of long stay resident after five years' of residency, which will give them the right to reside in another Member State and benefit from this particular status. This right to mobility is the main innovation in the directive, which although its set the principle of equal treatment between long stay residents and nationals (for jobs, education and social benefits), allows a number of derogations, particularly on the right to work for a long stay resident if s/he changes country. Member States will have two years to apply the directive, once it is published in the Official Journal.