Cap on migrants to UK against rules: Barroso
Jose Manuel Barroso - Photo EC
(LONDON) - Limiting the number of migrants to Britain from within the European Union would be against EU law, outgoing European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso warned in London on Sunday.
The head of the 28-member bloc's executive body made the comments in a BBC television interview, after press reports said Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron might seek to cap EU migrants to Britain.
Cameron has vowed to re-negotiate the terms of Britain's membership, and hold a referendum on whether to remain in the bloc if he is re-elected in a May vote, pressured by the advance of anti-EU and anti-immigration party the UK Independence Party (UKIP).
But Barroso said that freedom of movement between the countries of the EU was an essential principle, and could not be altered.
"Any kind of arbitrary cap seems to me to be not in conformity with European laws. Because for us it's very important the principle of non-discrimination. The freedom of movement is a very important principle," Barroso told the interview.
The Sunday Times this week reported that Cameron was exploring whether national insurance numbers issued to EU migrants could be capped -- personal identifying codes needed to work in Britain.
The prime minister has vowed to negotiate hard to "get what Britain needs" on the issue, but has not given detail on specific proposals.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening, a cabinet minister in the Conservative-led government, said on Sunday that a need to address migration from within the EU meant the rules would have be examined.
"That means taking a fundamental look at some of the rules that allow unrestricted immigration in a way that we don't think is sensible," Greening told Sky News.
Migration to Britain from other countries in the EU, particularly from newer and poorer member states in Eastern Europe, is a sensitive political issue in Britain and UKIP have put border control at the heart of their electoral campaign.
The party won its first elected seat in the Westminster parliament in a by-election earlier this month with the re-election of lawmaker Douglas Carswell, who had defected from the ruling Conservative Party.
UKIP hope to win a second seat in a November by-election, following the defection of another Conservative MP to the once-fringe party that has risen to around 17 percent support in polls.
Barroso, who will be replaced as European Commission president in a month's time, said the EU would discuss Britain's concerns but that it was in the country's interest to stay in the bloc.
"What would be the influence of Britain, of the prime minister of Britain, if it was outside the European Union? His influence would be zero!" Barroso said.