Brussels, 28 March 2023
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EU long-term permit can be granted after 3 years of legal residence
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Opportunity to integrate persons enjoying the temporary protection status
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EU long-term residents should be able to move to another EU country without additional restrictions
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Automatic EU long-term resident status for dependent children
MEPs supported on Tuesday improving the EU rules on EU long-term residence status through better mobility rights and simplified and faster procedures.
With 36 votes in favour, 13 against, and 16 abstentions, the Civil Liberties Committee adopted a draft report introducing changes to the 2003 Directive. The EU-long term resident status with associated rights allows third-country nationals to integrate and be socially included and allows them to move more easily to another EU country compared to the national residence status.
Make it easier to move to another EU country
Under the new rules, holders of EU long-term resident status will be able to move to second member state for work or study purposes without additional requirements (such as labour market checks or integration requirements).
Faster procedure
MEPs want to shorten to three years -instead of the proposed five- the period someone is required to be legally resident in a member state in order to acquire EU long-term status. They support including periods of legal residence in different member states, as well as time spent under temporary protection, seasonal work, study periods or vocational training in the calculation of legal stay. A decision on an application for long-term residence should not take more than 60 days from the day of submission.
Simplified conditions for resident status
The draft rules simplify and clarify the criteria regarding adequate resources and health insurance. Member states may require someone to speak a language up to A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Language Skills; in such cases they should provide language courses free of charge. MEPs wish to exclude those who hold a residence permit solely on the basis of an investment scheme from being able to apply for EU long-term permit.
Children and family members
MEPs support granting automatic long-term residence status for dependent children of persons already holding such a permit, irrespective of their place of birth, and favourable conditions for family members.
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After the vote, the rapporteur Damian Boeselager (EFA/Greens, Germany) said: “Europe is ageing quickly. This leads to shortages in skills, with a damaging impact on Europe’s competitiveness and economic growth. To better attract and retain talented workers at all skill levels, we propose a portable EU long-term resident status with the right to move freely across Europe for work or studies. This right will allow migrants to travel and seek opportunities across Europe and fill in labour shortages where needed. We also propose to make the permit more accessible, by reducing the years of stay required from five to three years.”
Next steps
MEPs also agreed -with 50 votes in favour, 12 against, and 0 abstentions – to open negotiations with the EU ministers on the final form of the law. The decision is expected to be announced at the 17-20 April European Parliament plenary session. If there are no objections in plenary, the talks may begin once the Council adopts its own negotiating position.