Similar to concerns in the UK, politicians in Germany are nervously facing a possible influx of workers from Bulgaria and Romania.
Tensions have arisen in the country’s new governing coalition over the question of potential “benefit tourism”.
Conservatives believe that extra measures should be taken to prevent abuse of the welfare system and to curb “poverty-driven migration in the EU.
In a statement, it also said: "Europe should not obstruct us if we want to have national regulation of poverty-driven migration. It is disastrous behaviour for Brussels to shut its eyes to this problem and to limit the possibilities for national measures against poverty-driven migration."
But the foreign ministry, now in the hands of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), warned that questioning freedom of movement was "harmful to Europe".
Foreign Minister Steinmeier said: "European freedoms are the core of our idea of Europe, free movement of workers is an essential part of European integration.
"Germany has derived immense benefit from that, and certainly much more than others."
The conservatives are pressing for a three-month period before any benefit claim can be lodged as well as a ban on re-entry of any migrant found to have defrauded the welfare system.
German’s new Europe Minister countered by accusing them of trying to manipulate public opinion, adding “that is not the level at which the grand coalition should be working”.
People from Bulgaria and Romania are now free to seek work in any country of the EU after time expired on 1 January on their temporary labour market restrictions.
