As part of the European Year of Citizens series, EuroparlTV takes a look at the free circulation of workers within Europe.

Reporter: Are we really free to work anywhere in Europe?

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16280275/m003-0249-en.srt

EuroparlTV is looking at the free  circulation of workers within the EU.

In the Parliament we're always  in favour of guaranteeing

the free circulation of labour,  of workers, without restriction.

We're in a crisis, so in practice  we often see, and more often than before,

very sophisticated  and complicated measures

to restrict the flow of people  from one country to another.

Between degrees,  Anne and Romain left France

but somewhere that was different  from our country and our culture.

The Swedish tax office,  immigration office, job centre...

In the month since they arrived,  the pair have been to all of them.

But so far only one document  seems tangible.

It lays out the conditions  for a residence permit.

You're either a student here  and registered at the university,

or you have enough money  in your bank account

to provide for your needs  for at least a year.

We asked for more information  at the tax office.

If you do not have a job,  you can still come to Sweden

but after six months,  if you're still unemployed,

the migration board can ask that you  show that you are actively seeking a job

and that you have a good chance  of obtaining one.

So there can be a problem if you do not  have sufficient funds for yourself

to obtain a personal identity number  if you wish to stay for more than a year.

But until you have this residence permit,  you have no Swedish personal number.

And without this national identity number,  it's hard to live a normal life in Sweden.

We can access job offers, but most say  they don't accept applications

by email or telephone. They ask you  to apply only via their website.

And then we get stuck. We can't even  apply without the personal number.

So it's hard for our French pair  to merge with the Swedes.

we have to draw out money  from our French banks.

And every time we draw out  a bit of money, costs are added.

José is Spanish and  got a short-term contract of six months.

But it's not enough  to get a personal number.

I could get a provisional one  which is something similar.

nor give you access  to things previously mentioned,

Others like Aurélien and Faïza  have been luckier.

It was difficult to get the personal number,  but I spoke to my boss

and we set up a one-year contract  which you need to get the number.

and I could get my personal number  straight away.

The French honorary consul  in Gothenburg offers the same advice.

He mentions  the well-stocked bank account.

For a year, I'm told it's about  7,000 kronor multiplied by 12.

You can't be accepted by an employer  if you don't have a personal number.

you generally need a job.  So it's a vicious circle.

Anne and Romain's parents  will probably help them financially.

It's disappointing for the young couple  who would have liked to be independent.

Living and working  in different countries

can be complicated,  administratively speaking.

Philippe Schumacher is Belgian. He lives  in Belgium with his partner and children.

His chosen profession, airline pilot,  led him to apply for jobs in France,

where he got his first  fixed-term contract in 2010.

It was a fixed-term contract of six months,

at the end of which my colleagues told me

that I had to register for tax  at the office for non-residents,

but for my unemployment  I had to manage on my own

and register at  the French employment centre.

Philippe received his benefit  in France and did the same thing

at the end of each contract for two years,

until the employment centre decided  not to grant him his benefit any more.

The reason was that  he's resident in Belgium.

The French authorities  referred him to Belgium.

and that I and my employer paid  my contributions in France

and therefore I should get  French unemployment benefit.

After a winter of unemployment  without any benefits,

Philippe is today going to Paris  to start another contract.

He leaves his family behind  with a heavy heart.

In addition, the employment centre has  asked me for the benefits previously paid,

If I have to pay that back tomorrow,  I don't think there are many solutions.

I'd either have to sell my house,  or sell the car first and then see.

the French Centre for European and  International Liaison on Social Security.

They know all about  the European legislation here.

First there's the cross-border worker,  who goes back every day...

They work in one country  and live in another.

They go home every day  or at least once a week.

His assignments  sometimes last over a week

and prevent him coming back to Belgium  in that time.

For other Europeans  working and living in two countries,

the regulations  leave the choice up to each person.

It all depends on the place  where they're available,

the country where they are available  to the employment centre.

The French employment centre  didn't wish to discuss this case.