Global Trade Alert

 On 21 May 2016, the European Commission announced directive 2016/801 unifying and extending the freedoms for the entry and residence of third-country nationals in research, studies, training, au pairing and voluntary services.
Inter alia, the directive introduces the obligation for each member state to offer a work permit of at least 15 hours/week to third-country nationals during their studies (individual member states may set higher limits). It also grants full labour market access to the families of third-country nationals employed as researchers (for the duration of the researcher's employment in the EU country) within the first country of the EU they worked in.
The directive came into force on the day of its announcement and Member States will have two years to comply with its content.
The list of affected trading partners is based on 2014 and 2015 migration flows.