EC to Investigate UK Over Suspended Grants to Bulgarians, Romanians

European Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou has announced the launch of a formal investigation of London's decision to suspend grants and loans to Bulgarian and Romanian students.

Vassiliou, who is the EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth, stated that so far the suspension has not violated civil rights, and was "a temporary and administrative measure due to the concerns of a sharp increase in the number of grants and loans applications, " Romanian Mediafax reports.

However, Vassiliou said that the "number of complaints received by the European Commission" and the question raised by Romania's MEP Renate Weber, have aroused suspicion of the reasonable time frame set by British authorities for resolving the issue.

The Commissioner stated that a formal investigation is to be launched and that British authorities will be requested further clarification.

In November 2013 the British government decided to suspend grants and loans after noticing an upsurge in the number of students from Bulgaria and Romania applying for maintenance support. Officials asked them for fresh proof they had been resident in the UK for the qualifying three years.

Although the suspension was said to be temporary, MEP Renate Weber has taken measures to clarify the situation.