Barroso urges UK to remain in EU despite migration policy tensions

The European Union's rules about free movement can and must remain in place, European Commission president José Manuel Barroso has said in London.

Acknowledging that feelings “run high on this issue”, Mr Barroso said curbing the ability of EU citizens to work anywhere in the union would see the EU “shooting itself in the foot”. He rejected calls by some UK quarters for targeted restrictions on the freedom to move enjoyed by low-paid workers – often blamed for cutting blue-collar British workers’ wages.

“There must be no first- and second-class citizens in Europe, where only the highly skilled are able to move and work freely while the low- skilled are not,” he said at the London School of Economics.

“We need to be clear about the figures as well: there are as many UK citizens in other EU countries as there are Europeans living and working in the UK.”

'Unintended strains'
He acknowledged that free movement "may put unintended strains on local communities and services and in some cases there has been abuse". But he indicated that the primary role to deal with problems should be played by EU capitals: "There is a lot that national governments can do to tackle abuses if and when they occur."

Questioned about last weekend’s Swiss referendum vote, which backed calls for curbs on foreigners living there, Mr Barroso said no other non-EU country enjoyed “so many privileges and freedoms” from the EU.

However, he said, the EU would "not negotiate on our basic principles" with Switzerland, noting that 430,000 Swiss citizens live in the EU.

Pointing to inconsistencies in the UK’s attitude to EU membership, he said successive British governments had “been at the forefront” of pushing for enlargement. “Can you imagine a situation where goods, capital and services could move from New York to California but people could not?” he asked.

Urging the UK to stay in the EU, Mr Barroso said the UK had led the debate on the single market, financial services, competitiveness and innovation, enlargement and trade.

“The European Union would not have become what it is today if it weren’t for British politicians and entrepreneurs, British thinkers and British ideas.

“Without the UK, Europe would be less reform-driven, less open and less international. Less effective as a tool for managing and benefiting from globalisation.”