CITIZENSHIP : TWELVE MEASURES TO REINFORCE CITIZENS' RIGHTS.

With the European elections a little over a year away, the EU has no time to waste in its push to prevent a surge in populism and Euroscepticism at the polls. The European Commission therefore presented 12 "concrete" measures, on 8 May, to make it easier for Europeans to exercise their EU rights in their everyday life, from looking for a job in another member state to voting in theircountry of origin.

Even in the midst of an economic crisis, there are no takers for certain jobs in Europe, in restaurants, hotels, technology and science, small businesses, finance, sales, etc. Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding highlighted this paradox once again, like her fellow Commissioner Laszlo Andor (employment), and stressed the need to waive obstacles to the free movement of workers in the EU. One of the measures set out in the EU citizenship report she presented to the press is therefore to extend to at least six months, from three today, the unemployment benefits paid to jobseekers by their home country when they are looking for a job in another EU state. This measure aims to help young people in particular, of whom 25% are jobless, and more than half in Spain and Greece. "This is an opportunity for member states to prove their commitment to reduce unemployment during this period of crisis," argued Reding.

The proposal is bold, especially after four home affairs ministers (from Germany, Austria, the UK and the Netherlands) recently urged the Commission to come down harder on what they call "benefits tourism" in the EU. Their action is said to target the Roma community in particular, note observers at the Commission. "The right to free movement is not negotiable," reiterated Reding. For the EU executive, these ministers, who have requested a debate at the June Home Affairs Council, have presented no evidence of any situation that could justify a restriction of this fundamental right. "European rules already establish that, after three months, a European must not become dependent on the host country," pointed out the commissioner.

TRAINEES AND VOTERS

With another of its 12 measures, the Commission intends to impose contracts for traineeships in the EU. "Students tell us all too often that a traineeship is little more than an unpaid job," said Reding. She also wants to...