Home Office calls for evidence in Balance of Competences Review
Experts are invited to give evidence on asylum and immigration, and Free Movement of Persons.
The government has today launched calls for evidence on the balance of powers between the UK and the European Union on asylum and immigration, and on the Free Movement of Persons.
The Foreign Secretary launched the cross-government Balance of Competences Review in Parliament on 12 July 2012, taking forward the Coalition commitment to examine the balance of powers between the UK and the European Union.
Calls for evidence
The Home Office is launching reports covering asylum and immigration, and Free Movement of Persons. The Free Movement report is being conducted jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Views are being sought from individuals and groups with an interest or experience in policies covering asylum and immigration or Free Movement of Persons, how the powers are used and what that means for Britain.
The calls for evidence will run for 12 weeks from 15 May 2013 to 5 August 2013. Following the calls for evidence, reports on the current balance of competences on asylum and immigration and the Free Movement of Persons and what this means for the national interest will be published by late 2013.
Reports
The Balance of Competences review will provide an analysis of what the UK’s membership of the EU means for the UK national interest. It will not produce specific recommendations and will not prejudge future policy, nor will it look at alternative models for Britain’s overall relationship with the EU.
The Free Movement of Persons is one of the so-called ‘Four Freedoms’ of the EU Internal Market, the other Freedoms being the Free Movement of Goods, Services and Capital. A report will be conducted on each of the Four Freedoms as part of the review. This is in addition to an overarching report on the Internal Market, which was conducted by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
The Asylum and Immigration Report will cover the asylum and immigration competences that affect nationals from outside the EU/EEA, those not exercising EU/EEA rights, and the control of the UK’s borders.
For more information and links to the calls for evidence, see the FCO’s page on the Balance of Competences Review.