EU: Freedom of movement applies to all countries in the EU, including the UK.
Brussels has stepped up its fightback against UK attempts to curb EU immigration as leaders of the European parliament declared that rules on freedom of movement were completely non-negotiable, and made clear that attempts to change them would be blocked.
In the latest response to calls from UK politicians to unpick the EU treaties and rewrite one of its founding principles, European parliament president Martin Schulz said that while he took UK demands for reform of the EU "very seriously" there was no question of the parliament agreeing to reopen the rule-book on free movement. "As to the debate on free movement, this is happening not only in the UK but across many member states. The principle of free movement of people has been one of the greatest successes the EU has, it is a fundamental principle and it's not up for negotiation any more than renegotiating the principle of the free movement of goods, services or capital."
The principles of freedom of movement would never pass through the Council of Ministers nor the parliament. "In a globalising world, for the EU to revisit its own fundamental principles of open markets and open frontiers would amount to self-harm. I do not think that the European parliament now or in the future would accept such a major upheaval."
The remarks reflect an increasing determination within the EU to respond robustly to the UK's demands for a new deal on immigration, and a growing sense that British politicians must not be allowed to hold the rest of the union to ransom over the issue by bringing up the possibility of a UK exit.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/12/brussels-slaps-down-threats-immigration
Sounds like the EU has decided that the UK will have to abide by the same immigration rules as every other EU country. This will undoubtedly make UKIP and the Conservatives mad. There will probably more negotiations in the future, but the EU may decide to stick with its freedom of movement rule even if it means that the UK withdraws from the EU eventually.
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