Free movement and equal treatment in an unequal union

Abstract

The European Union's (EU) fundamental principles of free movement of persons and non-discrimination have long challenged the traditional closure of the welfare state. Whereas the relationship between the EU and the welfare state appeared largely reconciled before the grand enlargement of 2004, economic downturn and politicisation question the nexus anew. This collection explores the current dynamics, scope and limits of free movement and welfare equal treatment for EU citizens on the move. The different contributions bring together the normative, legal and political developments and about-turns which dynamically square the circle of pan-European social solidarity. The collection covers the new politics of EU cross-border welfare but also the structuring role of the European Court of Justice. It includes the political economy of free movement as well as its outputs and outcomes in selected member states. Finally, it analyses the mechanisms that activate attitudinal polarisation on intra-EU migration and welfare.

Responding to free movement: quarantining mobile union citizens in European welfare states

“…Until recently, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has incrementally expanded social rights awarded to a growing group of Union citizens, thereby opening up national welfare states for migrants' access (see Martinsen and Werner 2018;Schmidt et al 2018). Whereas EU law has historically granted extensive equal treatment rights to workers who move to other Member States (current Article 45 TFEU), after the Treaty of Maastricht, the ECJ has gradually extended the principle of equal treatment and access to for example social assistance benefits to previously excluded Union citizens (Wollenschläger 2011: 20).…”

Worker mobility under attack? Explaining labour market chauvinism in the EU

“…Access to domestic labour markets and social benefits by non-nationals, even if they belong to the EU, is visibly under attack (Baute et al 2018;Kramer et al 2018). In the wake of rising inflows from the newly acceded Member States, segments of political elites and public opinions of receiving countries have developed increasing hostility against immigrants, held responsible for social dumping dynamics in terms of jobs and wages as well as for 'benefit tourism' (Heindlmaier and Blauberger 2017;Schmidt et al 2018).…”

Brexit! Grexit? Frexit? Considerations on How to Explain and Measure the Propensities of Member States to Leave the European Union

“…While there is no guarantee that EU migration will play an equally large role in other countries, it is plausible that it will be a hot-button issue whenever leaving the EU is discussed (cf. Schmidt et al 2018Schmidt et al : 1397Schmidt et al -1398Toshkov and Kortenska 2015). 3 This also casts a different light on the claim that another (second) referendum would be undemocratic.…”