Angela Merkel’s government has announced plans to tackle abuse of the benefits system by migrants to Germany from other parts of the EU.
The move is part of a crack down on “benefit tourism” and would end EU migrants’ social welfare benefits after six months without work, after which they must leave the country.
Any EU citizen found guilty of benefit fraud could be deported, imprisoned for up to three years or fined.
The proposed new German law, which could be in force by next year, has been promoted under the slogan "Wer betrügt, der fliegt": whoever lies, flies.
The country has experienced the entry of large numbers of migrants from poor EU countries, especially Bulgaria and Romania, after it ended border restrictions on 1 January this year.
Although there are statistics demonstrate that the migrants have not abused Germany’s welfare system, concerns have mounted about possible “welfare tourism”.
According to a study by market research agency IAB, the number of Bulgarians and Romanians who entered Germany in January this year went up by 80% to 9,850.
The Merkel government is convinced its proposals are within EU law.
In the UK, EU migrants are currently allowed to claim benefits for up to six months but that period is being lowered to three months in November.
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