[navaati]

What the hell ! I moved from France to Ireland and there was no question asked at any point, I just booked a ferry and rented a flat, no paperwork at all and I could live there as long as I wanted to.

I'm not so much saying you're wrong as afraid you're right, do you have sources ?

[acatton]

https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=460&langId=en

> People who are employed in another EU country are entitled to live there. Jobseekers are also allowed to stay in another country while they are looking for a job. (See the right to look for a job)

> The host country may require them, as "EU migrant workers", to register with the authorities as residents. (See Directive 2004/38/EC)

> Other legal and administrative formalities depend on the length of stay – up to 3 months, more than 3 months, or permanent.

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/residence-ri...

> Still looking for a job after 6 months

> […]

> Can you be deported or asked to leave?

> Your host country can ask you to leave if you can't prove that you have a realistic chance of finding work there.

> In exceptional cases, your host country can deport you on grounds of public policy, public security, or public health - but only if it can prove you pose a serious threat.

> The deportation decision or request to leave must be given to you in writing. It must state all the reasons for your deportation and specify how you can appeal and by when.

[alibarber]

It varies. Ironically the UK never seemed to bother with any formal registration[1], apart from getting a NI number for work (like everyone has to do).

I couldn’t register in Finland as an EU citizen (when I was one) without an employment contract or proof of self sufficiency. You have three months from arriving to register. It's true that if you don’t you're unlikely to be actively tracked down - but good luck trying to achieve anything here without that registration.

[1] I.e. with a government body responsible for enforcing immigration. It is likely that you would be asked to register to be on the electoral register at the house you are living in. This is not really the equivalent, I am talking about going to the Immigration authority of the country with your passport and papers.

[LeonidasXIV]

> I'm not so much saying you're wrong as afraid you're right, do you have sources ?

Yes, in addition to alibarber reporting their experiences in Finland, the same is true for EU citizens in Denmark: https://www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-apply/Residence-...

Where you see that you can stay in Denmark provided you're a worker at a Danish company, a student, a self-employed person, have sufficient funds or are from another Nordic country.

So this is very much up to the EU country and Denmark really doesn't want to have people moving there (and the rules for non-EU citizens are even more restrictive).

So in general the EU freedom of movement is "freedom of movement of workers", not just anyone.

[johnchristopher]

> So in general the EU freedom of movement is "freedom of movement of workers", not just anyone.

Exactly. For Americans (and other) readers there are four freedoms in the single EU market: free movement of goods, capital, services, and workers, known collectively as the "four freedoms".

People and workers may/are often used interchangeably but in laws it is about worker's freedom to move between borders, not people.

I think it's an interesting difference with the united states which is older than the EU but younger than Europe. It also highlights that in law, in modern Europe, capital goods, services and workers have rights to cross borders while the US American citizens are free to cross state borders.

Strangely those laws are all about workers and the market but nevertheless and contrary to the US most EU countries still have a much better social security net (for people) than "neoliberalcapitalisticmoneyhungryonly" US which has freedom at its core.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Single_Market#People

> Since its foundation, the Treaties sought to enable people to pursue their life goals in any country through free movement.[122] Reflecting the economic nature of the project, the European Community originally focused upon free movement of workers: as a "factor of production".[123] However, from the 1970s, this focus shifted towards developing a more "social" Europe.[124] Free movement was increasingly based on "citizenship", so that people had rights to empower them to become economically and socially active, rather than economic activity being a precondition for rights. This means the basic "worker" rights in TFEU article 45 function as a specific expression of the general rights of citizens in TFEU articles 18 to 21. According to the Court of Justice, a "worker" is anybody who is economically active, which includes everyone in an employment relationship, "under the direction of another person" for "remuneration".[125] A job, however, need not be paid in money for someone to be protected as a worker. For example, in Steymann v Staatssecretaris van Justitie, a German man claimed the right to residence in the Netherlands, while he volunteered plumbing and household duties in the Bhagwan community, which provided for everyone's material needs irrespective of their contributions.[126] The Court of Justice held that Mr Steymann was entitled to stay, so long as there was at least an "indirect quid pro quo" for the work he did. Having "worker" status means protection against all forms of discrimination by governments, and employers, in access to employment, tax, and social security rights. By contrast a citizen, who is "any person having the nationality of a Member State" (TFEU article 20(1)), has rights to seek work, vote in local and European elections, but more restricted rights to claim social security.[127] In practice, free movement has become politically contentious as nationalist political parties appear to have utilised concerns about immigrants taking jobs and benefits.

[johnchristopher]

Yes, I have googled it before posting my reply (to confirm the details of what I was sure of: there are limits).

https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/residence/residence-ri...

This is part of the FAQ/information forms when asking for information about moving in a EU country for EU citizens.

As an EU citizen, you have the right to move to any EU country for a period of up to 3 months as long as you have a valid identity card or passport. If you want to settle in another EU country but you have no intention to take up any work or education there, you need to prove that you:

    have sufficient resources for you and your family during the time you want to stay in your new country

    have comprehensive health insurance

Reporting your presence and registering your residence

During the first 3 months of your stay in your new country, as an EU citizen, you cannot be required to apply for a residence document confirming your right to live there - although in some countries you may have to report your presence upon arrival.

After 3 months in your new country, you may be required to register your residence with the relevant authority (often the town hall or local police station), and to be issued with a registration certificate.

You will need a valid identity card or passport and:

    proof of comprehensive health insurance

    proof you can support yourself without needing social assistance benefits: resources may come from any source, including from a third person.

Can you be requested to leave or be deported?

You may live in the other EU country as long as you continue to meet the conditions for residence. If you no longer do so, the national authorities may require you to leave.

[Tabular-Iceberg]

I don't know if you broke the law or not, but I'm guessing you didn't do anything to make the authorities think you did.

There's probably not a great incentive chasing down and expelling other EU nationals unless they are actually causing trouble or breaking other laws.