"Free" movers? The post-accession experience of accession-8 migrant workers in the UK

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Abstract

Examines UK policy towards migrant workers from the Eastern and Central European states which acceded to the EC in 2004. Reviews the transitional arrangements regarding migrant workers under the Treaty of Accession of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia to the European Union 2003, and key features of the UK labour market rules under the Worker Registration Scheme (WRS), including the operation of the "12 month rule" and the obligations of employer and employee. Analyses the criticisms made of the WRS concerning its potential for worker exploitation and details the eligibility criteria for A-8 workers to claim social welfare, the position of newly arrived jobseekers, the impact of cases such as the European Court of Justice ruling in Collins v Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (C-138/02) and the obstacles to bringing legal challenges to assert free movement rights.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)207-229
Number of pages22
JournalEuropean Law Review
Volume31
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2006
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • EU law, Free movement, Enlargement, Immigration

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