Jobless European migrants could be deported from Britain after Germany backs tougher stance on migration

Mr Cameron has promised that if he is Prime Minister after the next election he will claw back powers from the European Union before holding an in-out referendum. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is a key ally in any attempt to reshape the EU, and Downing Street is delighted at the lengths she will go to to ensure Britain remains in the bloc of 28 countries.



The Berlin Government released a report suggesting that new arrivals should be returned to their countries of origin within a few months.

German politicians have suggested the limit should be set at 3 months - though the document does not specify an exact deadline.

The UK has already restricted access to benefits for migrants until they have been in Britain for three months.

Mr Cameron said he would work with Berlin on plans to deport jobless migrants who fail to find work +4

Mr Cameron said he would work with Berlin on plans to deport jobless migrants who fail to find work

But the German plans would go further, giving member states the right to kick out those who are not working.

Mr Cameron said the proposals are proof that key European Union leaders are coming round to his view that there should be greater restrictions on free movement around the EU.

A major risk for Britain has been being squeezed out or over-ruled by countries which use the euro forming closer ties in an attempt to shore up the single currency.

But in a joint article for the Financial Times, Chancellor George Osborne and his German counterpart Wolfgang Schauble said any changes to EU treaties must ‘guarantee fairness’ for member states outside the single currency bloc.

The declaration meets one of Mr Cameron's key negotiating demands - that the rights of non-eurozone states must be protected - ahead of his planned 2017 referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.

In their article, Mr Osborne and Mr Schauble said that both Britain and Germany accepted that the eurozone crisis meant that the members of the single currency needed to establish a common fiscal and economic policy.

‘The UK fully recognises the progress made so far in responding to the crisis, and it supports the case for further steps forward. 

'But as the euro area continues to integrate, it is important that countries outside the euro area are not at a systematic disadvantage in the EU,’ they wrote.

‘So future EU reform and treaty change must include reform of the governance framework to put euro area integration on a sound legal basis, and guarantee fairness for those EU countries inside the single market but outside the single currency.’

The statement will be seen as evidence that Mr Cameron's assiduous efforts to court German chancellor Angela Merkel - including rolling out the red carpet for a high-profile visit to London - are bearing fruit.

Tackling immigration is a major concern in both countries, with Germany's coalition government considering proposals to limit the time unemployed migrants from other EU member states can stay in the country looking for a job.