EU enlargement

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on European Union enlargement. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

Date	Description
15.07.2013	Croatian nationals' rights to live and work in the UK after joining the EU
	Croatia joined the EU on 1 July 2013. Croatian nationals can now exercise 'free movement' rights under European law to travel to and live in the UK. However, as with the previous two rounds of EU enlargement, Croatia's EU accession treaty permits Member States to impose transitional restrictions on Croatian workers' free movement rights for up to seven years, in order to guard against disruption of labour markets. The UK has decided to apply transitional restrictions.
16.04.2013	Ending of transitional restrictions for Bulgarian and Romanian workers
	Romania and Bulgaria (the 'A2' states) joined the EU on 1 January 2007. Their EU accession treaty permitted other Member States to impose transitional restrictions on the free movement rights of Bulgarian and Romanian 'workers' for up to seven years after accession, in order to guard against disruption of their labour markets. All Member States must lift restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers by the end of 2013.
26.02.2013	Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit for children resident in other EEA countries
	Domestic legislation provides that both Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit cannot normally be paid in respect of children resident abroad. However, under provisions in EU law on social security coordination within the European Economic Area (EEA), Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit may be payable to EEA migrants in the United Kingdom in respect of their dependent children resident in another Member State.
14.01.2013	Norway's relationship with the EU
	Norway is not part of the EU, and although it has adopted large amounts of EU legislation, it has little influence.
13.12.2012	Iceland: an overview
	2012 has seen Iceland gear up for parliamentary elections in 2013, with plans for a new constitution as it emerges from its financial crisis and proceeds with its application to join the EU.

Research Papers

Date	Description
01.11.2012	European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill [Bill 76 of 2012-13]
	Croatia is expected to join the EU in July 2013. This Bill would allow the UK to ratify Croatia's accession treaty and would also cover the Protocol to the Lisbon Treaty put forward by the Irish Government.
25.07.2008	Impacts of immigration
	This paper examines reports and evidence on the effects which immigration is having on communities and public services throughout the UK.
14.03.2007	EU Enlargement: the Western Balkans
	EU Enlargement: the Western Balkans. House of Commons Research Paper 07/27.
26.10.2005	European Union (Accessions) Bill (Bill 51 of 2005-06)
	The European Union (Accessions) Bill. (Bill 51 of 2005-06). House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/71
06.09.2004	The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe: part 1
	The Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe: part 1. House of Commons Library Research Paper 04/66.

Select Committee Reports

Date	Description
11.10.2011	Implications for the Justice and Home Affairs area of accession of Turkey to the European Union.
	Government response. Home Office report [Commons]
18.07.2011	Implications for the Justice and Home Affairs area of accession of Turkey to the European Union.
	Home Affairs Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

Date	Description
11.07.2011	POLISH PRESIDENCY OF THE EU
	That this House welcomes the new Polish Presidency of theEU which came into effect on 1 July 2011; hopes that the Polish Presidency will continue the excellent work of the previous ...
29.10.2008	KILLING OF JOURNALISTS IN CROATIA
	That this House expresses its concern about the killing in Zagreb of journalists Ivo Pukanic and Niko Franjic of the Nacional newspaper, a paper dedicated to uncovering corruption and ...
16.07.2008	UKRAINE'S APPLICATION TO JOIN THE EU
	That this House welcomes the development of democracy in Ukraine; acknowledges the commitment of all the major Ukrainian political parties to the goal of European Union membership; ...

Lords Library Notes

Date	Description
12.12.2012	Debate on 17 December: European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill (HL Bill 59) and European Union (Approvals) Bill [HL] (HL Bill 57)
	This Library Note provides background information in advance of the second readings in the House of Lords of the European Union (Croatian Accession and Irish Protocol) Bill and the European Union (Approvals) Bill.
07.01.2011	Debate on 13 January: Economic and Strategic Role of Turkey
	This Library Note provides background reading for the debate on the economic and strategic role of Turkey in Europe and the Middle East.