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Cini: European Union Politics 2e
Chapter 16
Free movement of people in the European Union
Established under the Single European Act (SEA), the Single European Market (SEM) was the core of the process of European economic integration, involving the removal of obstacles to the free movement of goods, services, people, and capital between member states of the EU. Among those goals of the single market programme, t he free movement of people in Europe has been one of the key aims of the EU ever since it was set up. However, its realisation had been slow until five countries - France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany - signed an agreement to end controls on their internal frontiers in Schengen in 1985 (26 countries – all EU member states except the Republic of Ireland and the UK, but including Iceland, Norway and Switzerland – have signed the agreement so far) . Although the Schengen agreement emerged outside the framework of the EU, the Treat of Amsterdam incorporated the developments brought about by the Schengen agreement into the EU framework, effectively making the Schengen Treaty part of the EU. With the process of enlargement to 25 states in 2004, the Single European Market took on a whole new meaning, and with it a new set of problems. Of particular concern to existing member states was the predicted economic migration of workers from the new EU members. One possible effect of the migration was thought to be unemployment and downward pressure on wages in existing member states. Thus, 12 member states from the EU-15 introduced 'transitional restrictions' on the movement of the labour force from the eight new member states (except Cyprus and Malta) (EurActiv.com, 12 Dec. 2005). Although the central argument for 'transitional restrictions' was to protect existing members' labour markets, this simply indicates restrictions on the free movement of labour among member states. Critics argue that this restriction runs counter to the principles of the SEM and also laid down in the Treaties.
Web Links
European Commission – Internal Market Scoreboard
europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/score/index_en.htm
Economic Reform of the Single Market – Cardiff Process
europa.eu.int/comm/internal_market/en/update/economicreform/index.htm
Archive of European Integration (AEI) on the Single Market 1992 and Progress Report – University of Pittsburgh
aei.pitt.edu/view/eusubjects/H024010.html
SOLVIT – Effective Problem Solving in the Internal Market
europa.eu.int/solvit/site/index_en.htm
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the UK in Europe – Single Market
www.dti.gov.uk/europe/pagej.html
Further Learning Resources
Cecchini, Paolo et al (1988), The European Challenge 1992: The Benefits of the Single Market, Wildwood House, Aldershot.
O'keefe, David (1992), 'The Free Movement of Persons and the Single Market', European Law Review Vol. 17, pp.1-19.
Barry, Frank, Bradley, John and Hannan, Aoife (2001), 'The Single Market, the Structural Funds and Ireland's Recent Economic Growth', Journal of Common Market Studies, Vol.39, No.3, pp.537-52.
Moravcsik, Andrew (1991), 'Negotiating the Single European Act: National Interests and Conventional Statecraft in the European Community', International Organisation, Vol.45, No.1, pp.19-56.