Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they make any distinction between the free movement of people and the free movement of labour.

The free movement of persons for work and other purposes is provided for in the Treaties and Court of Justice of the European Union case law and is largely governed by the Free Movement Directive. The UK has implemented the Directive through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2016.

The Directive sets out that in order for an EU citizen to reside in another Member State beyond three months, they must be exercising a Treaty right. Exercising Treaty rights in this context means they must be working, self-employed, self-sufficient, a student, or the family member of an EU national who is exercising a Treaty right, and meet the relevant requirements according to the activity they are undertaking.