Germany has accused David Cameron of seeking to “damage Europe” by calling the European Union’s right to free movement into question.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, has attacked the Prime Minister’s call for limits to be set on immigration when poor countries, such as Bulgaria and Romania, join the EU in future.
Mr Steinmeier, a Social Democrat in the Germany’s coalition government, has effectively committed Germany to blocking Britain’s plan to restrict the right to free movement for European nationals as part of proposals to renegotiate the EU treaty.
“Germany has benefited tremendously from this and surely more than others. Now many young people from southern Europe are coming to us, to learn and study,” he told the Financial Times.
“That benefits us and also helps the states from which they come. Whoever questions that damages Europe and damages Germany.” » | Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Monday, January 20, 2014
