British plan for new EU workers under fire

BRITISH plans to ban workers from new EU member states from claiming benefits for two years could be illegal, the European Commission warned yesterday.

Britain, like Ireland, has said it will open its borders to workers from the new member states from enlargement day on May 1.

But following fears that people will travel just to collect unemployment assistance, Britain has joined Sweden and Denmark in introducing new regulations requiring workers to register to be legal. They are barred from claiming benefits for two years.

However, under EU law countries cannot discriminate against people from other member states.

"They must apply exactly the same regulations to people from other member states as they apply to their own nationals," said Antonia Mochan, Employment and Social Affairs spokesperson.

"It would appear that by setting up a special register just for people from the new member states Britain is in breach," she said.

However, Ms Mochan said she believed that action would most likely be taken first by an individual from one of the new members who considered he was being discriminated against.

Immigrants to Britain who do get work will be eligible for child benefit and tax credits immediately.

After 12 months' uninterrupted employment, they will also be able to take a test which could entitle them to a range of welfare payments, including income support and jobseeker's allowance.

British Home Secretary David Blunkett said a new register will be created to monitor the number of eastern European arrivals and the jobs they do.

In what he described as "sensible conditions" on immigrants, Mr Blunkett pledged he would re-impose restrictions on the labour market if they took too many jobs.

The moves were designed to deal with an expected influx of thousands of migrants from eight former communist countries including Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic when they join the EU in May.

Mr Blunkett said: "When we first set out our position, only those countries with high levels of unemployment were planning to introduce restrictions on work for accession nationals.

"Since then other countries have changed their stance. It clearly makes sense for us to ensure that our approach does not leave us exposed."

Yesterday's package will require employers to verify that workers from the eight countries have registered.

Asked if the measures were designed to prevent Roma people from arriving in Britain to claim benefits, Mr Blunkett's spokesman said: "There are communities which cause us more concern than others."

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said immigrants from the accession countries would be eligible for child benefit and tax credits immediately if they were working.

But the spokesman added: "Accession nationals who come in and have no means of supporting themselves will be returned to their countries."