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<p>Free Movement of People and Capital are covered under the EU acquis, (primarily
in Chapters 2 and 4), as part of the accession process of any new Member State. However
Article 49 of the Treaty on EU makes clear that the EU and the applicant state will
agree the conditions of admission and any adjustment to the treaties ahead of a candidate
country joining the EU. As a result transitional controls have been introduced to
the Free Movement of Workers. In their current form, these transitional controls allow
a Member State the option of delaying the implementation of free movement for a maximum
of seven years after the date of accession. The Government is seeking to reform these
measures as set out in the 22 February 2016 White Paper “The Best of Both Worlds:
the United Kingdom’s Special Status in a Reformed European Union”, and the Prime Minister,
my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has made it clear that we will
not agree to further enlargement taking place before such reforms have been agreed
and implemented.</p><p>All decisions about the accession of a new member to the EU
require unanimous agreement of all existing members. In addition, any accession to
the EU would under the EU Act 2011 need to be ratified by Act of Parliament.</p>
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