Brussels, 03/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Practical application of the right to freedom of movement and residence of citizens and members of their families in the territory of the member states is disappointing, say MEPs in an own-initiative report by Adina-Ioana Vãlean (ALDE, Romania), adopted on Thursday 2 April by 500 votes to 104, with 55 abstentions. Since 2006, over eight million Europeans have exercised their right to reside in another EU member state, but “not one member state has transposed the directive effectively and correctly in its entirety,” MEPs regret. Major infringements of fundamental rights, including the right of entry and residence for family members who are third country nationals, have been found. Similarly, EU citizens have been required, when requesting residence rights, to provide additional documentation (work permits or proof of adequate accommodation) not called for by the directive. MEPs also noted that nationals of some member states and members of some ethnic groups, such as the Roma, would seem to be especially picked on in certain member states. Without making any specific mention of Italy, they noted that Community law precludes national legislation deeming it a general aggravating circumstance in relation to a crime or an offence for the person in question to be a citizen of one member state illegally present on the territory of another member state. The situation “demonstrates that the Commission has been unable to secure coherent and timely compliance with the directive by member states and to handle the large number of complaints from citizens in relation to the application of the directive,” say MEPs. Consequently, they call on the Commission to begin proceedings against member states which are failing to fully comply with the directive. (B.C./transl.rt)