European Union

A number of influential business people have met with the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to try and persuade the government not to place any restrictions on workers from Bulgaria and Romania when they join the European Union next year.

The High Court of Justice has stated that persons whose asylum claims have been disbelieved by an immigration judge have no claim whatsoever under the ECAA agreement with Turkey (the Ankara Agreement) - R (Aysel Aslan) -v- Secretary of State for the Home Department [2006] EWHC 1855 (Admin).

The Home Office has recently reported that migrants pay £2.5 billion more in taxes than is paid to them in benefits. The figure contradicts the widely held belief that migrants cost the British economy money and jobs. Recently some British newspapers have reported that migrants will cause a rise in council tax; something which the new Home Office figures suggest is not the case.

The European Union (EU) has proposed an amendment of the list of countries whose nationals need a visa to enter EU countries under the Schengen Agreement.

Bolivia would be added to the list, as would 'British Citizens who are not nationals of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland for the purposes of Community Law: British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Overseas Citizens, British Subjects and British Protected Persons'.

Gherson & Co has experience in all aspects of immigration law, including the Turkish ECAA agreement commonly known as the Ankara Agreement.

We were recently instructed by a Turkish national who was established in the UK under the provisions of the Ankara Agreement but the Home Office refused an application for further leave to remain.

A senior panel of immigration judges (Mr Ockelton, Mr Freeman and Mr Jordan) has found that the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 make it more difficult for the Home Office to deport Europeans who have been convicted of a criminal offence MG and VC (EEA Regulations 2006; conducive deportation) Ireland [2006] UKAT 00053 (3/7/06).

The European Union is to hold talk with high-level African officials on ways to halt illegal immigration to Europe. Every year thousands of Africans brave a hazardous and frequently fatal journey to Europe, their first post of call often being the islands on the fringe of Europe such as Malta or the Canary Islands.

In the last few months we have posted several articles on this site relating to the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006, which implement the European Citizens' Charter into UK domestic law on 30 April 2006.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that a provision allowing EU Member States to verify if certain child family members meet a condition for integration before allowing entry and residence is not contrary to EU or human rights law (case C-540 European Parliament v Council (2006) ECJ (Grand Chamber) 27/6/2006).

The High Court has reaffirmed that applications made by Turkish failed asylum seekers to remain in the UK under the 'Ankara Agreement' do not attract an in-country right of appeal R (app.Mehmet Parmak) v SSHD [2006] EWHC 244 (Admin).