MEP Maria Grapini to file new interpellation with EC on child allowances of Romanian workers in Austria

MEP Maria Grapini announced that she will file on Monday, January 7, a new interpellation with the European Commission requesting "a fair measure and the urgent intervention of Europe" in the question of the cut in child allowance for Romanian workers in Austria.

"(...) Austria's Chancellor has recently been in Bucharest, when, in a total contempt, he preferred to threaten us that Austrian companies would leave Romania if the government ordinance was enforced! Our President left the impression everywhere that he is good friends with Sebastian Kurz. What holiday is Klaus Iohannis on now, when his Austrian buddy violates the rights of Romanian children, with an impertinence which Europe has never seen before? Are there electoral strategies more important, even now, for Romania's President than the fate of our children [whose parents work] in Austria?," Maria Grapini said in Timisoara, according to a release.

Austria legislated starting 1 January 2019 on the adjustment of the allowances for non-resident children of workers in this member state depending on the average living cost in the residence country of the child. the area of enforcing the new legislation is represented by the allowances and tax deductions for non-resident children of persons working in Austria, the source mentions.

"The EU membership compels all states to ensure a correct, fair and undiscriminating treatment for all European citizens. The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union provides the right of European workers to settle and work in any other member state than the one where they have their citizenship, benefiting from the social advantages of the residence country, in the same conditions as its citizens, without any citizenship-related discrimination. In spite of this true Bible of the European Union, Austria decided according to its own will, choosing an obvious discrimination," reads the release sent my MEP Maria Grapini, affiliated to the S&D Group of the European Parliament. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Karina Olteanu; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)