Free movement and residence of EU citizens

SESSION OF TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2003

Free movement and residence of Union citizens

Karamanou (PSE), Rapporteur for the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.

– Mr. President, the Commission’s proposal for a directive on the free movement of citizens is undoubtedly an important step towards the removal of technical barriers that still unjustifiably exist even today in united Europe. The European Parliament, of course, significantly improves the Commission’s original proposal through the amendments that have been submitted. The amendments put forward by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality aim to improve a number of issues that will strengthen the position of women within the framework of free movement, taking into account the specific challenges that women face and the principle of non-discrimination on the basis of gender.

Unfortunately, Commissioner, the text of your proposal, aiming to establish the uninterrupted and free exercise of the right of residence for European citizens, has failed to formulate a text that is gender-neutral and takes into account the specific issues faced by women. The biggest problem arises primarily for women who are economically dependent on their husbands, as in the case of the death or dissolution of their marriage, they have no prospect of extending or continuing their residence in another European country. They are thus automatically deprived of any legal rights that stem from residing in another member state of the Union. We believe this needs to be corrected.

Furthermore, the Committee on Women’s Rights emphasizes the importance of proceeding with the protection of other forms of interpersonal relationships, such as the recognition of cohabitation with a declared partner, regardless of gender, as an equal relationship to marriage. It is known that more and more member states are recognizing, in various ways, couples who live together without having formally married. A key common element in the relevant national legislations is the official registration of the partner, and therefore, it is necessary to include this category in the definitions of family members.