‘Increase time for claiming welfare’

The length of time a person can live in another EU state and claim unemployment benefit from home should be doubled, according to the European Commission.

Currently a person can claim their benefits for three months under EU legislation when living in another EU country.

Justice commissioner Viviane Reding says this should be extended to six months to give people an opportunity to seek a job in another EU country.

“I urge all member states to make full use of the current rules in allowing jobseekers to receive their unemployment benefits for up to six months while looking for a job in another member state,” she said.

Responding to criticism that EU citizens working in other member states were involved in “benefit tourism” she said that people who worked in a country and paid their contributions to that state, were entitled to benefit from these payments.

Studies showed that the number of such people were far less likely to claim than locals and in fact overall contribute much more to the national exchequer than they receive.

The European Commission is to launch a pilot project to improve the exchange of information about traineeships and apprenticeships throughout the EU to encourage young people to move to wherever jobs are available.

This is one of 12 actions from the commission to make it easier for people to get most benefit from their rights as EU citizens.