Costa proposes ‘freedom of residence establishment among CPLP’

António Costa pictured in Macau

The Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa at a summit of the Portuguese-speaking Countries Community (CPLP) currently being held in Brasilia, Brazil, will today formally propose his plan to introduce a “freedom of residence establishment” within the CPLP for citizens of member states, the Portuguese newspaper Público reported yesterday.
The aim of the proposal is to facilitate the movement of people among the Portuguese-speaking community, an idea that if put into force will challenge the Schengen Agreement concerning freedom of movement within European countries.
If approved, such a measure would allow any citizen from a CPLP members’ state the right to live in any of the other member’s state territory.
At this time, the major concern with such a measure is its compatibility with the Schengen Agreement to which Portugal has been a subscriber of since 1997.
Macau is not one of the nine members of the community, which include only Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea, Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe, East Timor and Equatorial Guinea.
For some time, Costa has floated the idea that “closer ties” should connect the Portuguese-
speaking countries, which would enhance the reputation of the CPLP as a transnational “union.”
In practical terms such a measure would have a direct impact on matters relating to residency, such as the recognition of academic and professional qualifications and also the exercise of political rights and the portability of social rights.