From: statewatch
Subject: Statewatch: EU to restrict the free movement of offenders

Press release, 27 November 2008

JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS COUNCIL, Brussels, 27 November:

Restriction on the EU freedom of movement of citizens who have been convicted of
serious crime or for "repeated offences" (which may be "low level")

Ministers are discussing the adoption of Council Conclusions: Free movement of
persons: abuses and substantive problems – Draft Council conclusions on abuses and
misuses of the right to free movement of persons (16151/1/08, 26 November 2008,
pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2008/nov/eu-restrictions-free-movement-
conclusions-nov-08.pdf

These say that: "Only those exercising their rights in the spirit of the Treaty should
benefit from freedom of movement." While referring to third country nationals the
proposals would apply to EU citizens as well and allow Member States to deny entry
to those who:

"break the law in a sufficiently serious manner by committing serious and repeated
offences"

The scope of "repeated offences" is undefined and could apply, for example, to
protestors who take part in cross-border demonstrations.

These Conclusions are based on a proposal put forward by the UK: Statewatch
Analysis: The UK proposals on EU free movement law: an attack on the rule of law
and EU fundamental freedoms by Professor Steve Peers - University of Essex (pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/no-72-eu-attack-on-fundamental-rights-08.pdf

The draft conclusions constitute an attack on the rule of law and the fundamental
freedom of EU citizens and their family members to move freely within the
Community. They indicate an intention to:

- ignore a recent important ruling of the Court of Justice as well as many prior rulings
of the Court;
- attempt to dictate to the Court how to interpret EC legislation;
- amend or re-interpret EC legislation at the dictat of interior ministries, without
applying any form of legislative process; and
- dictate to the Commission how to perform its independent task as guardian of EC
law.

The UK proposal includes considering: "the cumulative damage caused by continuous
low-level offending can amount to a sufficiently serious threat to public policy"

United Kingdom delegation: Free movement of persons: abuses and substantive
problems - Draft Council Conclusions (EU doc no: 15903/08. 18 November 2008, pdf):
http://www.statewatch.org/news/2008/nov/eu-uk-proposal-on-free-
movement-15903-08.pdf


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