The European Parliament announced that it did not reach agreement today on draft “single permit” legislation to simplify procedures for legal immigrants to obtain residence and work permits in the EU and give them a set of equal rights with EU citizens so as to prevent exploitation of foreign labour.

After a series of amendments to the legislation had been adopted, a majority of MEPs decided they could no longer back the end result, for various reasons. The amended proposal was rejected (306 in favour, 350 against and 25 abstentions).

After the vote, the European Commission did not announce that it would withdraw its proposal. The draft legislation will therefore be sent back to the Civil Liberties and the Employment committees, which will have to work out a proposal on which a plenary majority can agree in two months’ time.

Permalink: Legislation on a single permit to live & work in EU postponed