Conclusion

After 1992, the European migration regime remained relatively stable for about twenty-five years. Post-1992 developments were the consequence of earlier achievements. Following the Treaty of Maastricht, the European Union gradually implemented European citizenship. In December 1993, the Council arranged for the exercise of the right to vote and stand as a candidate in elections to the European Parliament for European migrants. ¹ The Council defined the right to vote and stand in municipal elections for these migrants in December 1994. ² By the end of the 1990s, voting and eligibility rights in municipal and European elections had fully entered into force. ³ Even the contentious debate about the posting of workers did not lead to serious modifications of the regime. On 16 December 1996, the Council maintained, with Directive 96/71, the application of the labour law of the country of destination intact in those cases, which was the main point of controversy. ⁴ On 29 April 2004, the Council brought together the provisions of various previous directives to clarify European citizens’ rights in a single text, Directive 2004/38. ⁵