Theresa May's interview, introducing visa to eu nationals

[UK_BR5]

I read about the government 's plan to introduce a visa for some EU nationals most likely Romanians and Bulgarians against EU regulations and thought that this is indeed the beginning of the end for the freedom of movement between eu and uk specially with David Cameron's plans to renegotiate the right of freedom of movement to eu nationals. Uk is becoming more and more unwelcoming to migrants. What are your thoughts ?

[roxx79]

My thoughts are not printable.......

I read this this morning. I really hope that they do not have the power to make the changes they seek to make. Or at least that they are unable to make them before the general election. Hopefully I will be with my family in an EU country by 2014 and will escape further penalisation becuase of the nationality of my spouse.

[fysicus]

Unless UK actually leaves the EU, it is extremely unlikely that something like this could be introduced in the foreseeable future. I do not see a majority of other member states agreeing to such a drastic reversal of freedom of movement rights.
For now, I think it is just for domestic consumption, especially to persuade people who might consider voting UKIP instead of Conservative at the next general election.

[st pauli]

Unless UK actually leaves the EU, it is extremely unlikely that something like this could be introduced in the foreseeable future. I do not see a majority of other member states agreeing to such a drastic reversal of freedom of movement rights.
For now, I think it is just for domestic consumption, especially to persuade people who might consider voting UKIP instead of Conservative at the next general election.

Exactly this.

I wouldn't be surprised if they try to prevent all recourse to public funds for EU migrants though, then at least they can say they 'did something' about the costs of EU migration even if they couldn't hit the numbers themselves. Also some kind of restriction or attempted restriction on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, more stalling in that regard basically, wouldn't surprise me.

[Directive/2004/38/EC]

I still think my idea for (legally!) totally eliminating all EU free movement to the UK is the best one. See the bottom of: http://eumovement.wordpress.com/2012/07 ... y-british/

As others have said, these are empty words which allow some voters to happily rage on about how those foreigners have [whatever]...

[jotter]

It does look mainly like an attempt to pacify the Tory right-wing backbenchers, as well as voters potentially swinging between Conservative and UKIP. There are plenty of reasons why it shouldn't amount to much in practice: including the fact that it's illegal according to EU law, the fact that it's very debatable whether there is any economic benefit to it and also the fact that many British citizens use the freedom of movement and tit-for-tat they would be likely to suffer in return. The Tory leadership would certainly be aware of that, whatever they are saying in public.

It could, however, be bad news for Bulgarians, Romanians and also Croatians, and for many of us on the EEA route the current government's focus on reducing numbers even to the point of challenging ECJ judgements is very discomforting.