EU warns Britain it can't stop thousands more migrants claiming welfare handouts
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315735/Open-door-benefit-tourists-EU-warns-Britain-stop-thousands-migrants-claiming-welfare-handouts.htm
EU demands Britain payout billions to migrants
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Benefits tourists are set to get the green light to come to Britain and immediately claim handouts totalling £2.5billion a year. According to documents leaked to the Mail, ministers have been warned that restrictions on claims by immigrants are against the law and must be scrapped. The unelected European Commission's ruling threatens to open the door to tens of thousands who are currently deterred from coming to Britain.
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At the moment, a 'habitual residency test' is used to establish whether migrants from the EU are eligible for benefits. To qualify for jobseeker's allowance, employment support allowance, pension credit and income support, they must demonstrate that they either have worked or have a good opportunity to get a job.
But after receiving a complaint that the rules infringed the human rights of EU citizens, the Commission began to examine them. In a letter seen by the Mail, it warns that the restrictions are 'not compatible' with EU law. It says: 'EU law leaves it to member states to determine the details of their social security schemes and social assistance schemes, including the conditions on awarding benefits. ‘However, when making use of this competence, member states have to comply with the fundamental principles of EU law, such as the right to equal treatment on the basis of nationality. Having examined the “right to reside” test... it is not compatible with different legal provisions of EU law.’ The letter, written to the individual who made the complaint and copied to the British government, is dated last December, but Whitehall sources claim ministers in the outgoing Labour government failed to argue against the proposals.
Britain had toughened up its rules in 2004 when the EU was expanding its borders. The restrictions assess the eligibility of those from the EU and from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. But the Commission has begun legal proceedings against Britain to get restrictions on welfare claims by incomers scrapped. If successful, the Government would be required to remove its deterrents to benefit tourism, including the right-to-reside test and an additional qualification for those claiming jobseeker’s allowance, that they must have worked for 12 months or more. Officials warn the bill could be between £1.3billion and £2.5billion a year – hampering plans to rein in welfare spending. However, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is understood to be determined to fight the move through the courts if necessary.
Yet again we are seeing the unelected and unaccountable European Union interfere in nearly every aspect of how this country is run. The Conservatives intend to fight it via the courts (so they say) but it begs the question, why should the elected British government have to defend itself against an unelected foreign government? To add to that, the Tories do not have a good record on defending Britain anyway although they are very good at smoke and mirrors when it comes to the EU.
At a time when welfare and benefits are being cut for Britons, we are being expected to pay for people who have never contributed a single pennys piece in their entire lives to this country.
Should the EU stay out of our business?
