According to MEP Tatyana Zhdanok, even without this status, the rights of Latvia's non-citizens will soon be largely equalized with the rights of citizens. For example, they will be able to cross the borders of EU countries without visas.
Complying with the requirements of the EU directive, the Latvian authorities have begun drafting a new Law on the Status of Permanent Resident of the European Community in the Republic of Latvia and working on amendments to the Immigration Law. After the new provisions come into force (which should happen on 23 January 2006), Latvia's non-citizens will be able to voluntarily acquire a new status - permanent resident of the EU.
This status will not be granted automatically - the applicant will have to write an application. The applicant also must meet a number of requirements. In particular, he must have continuously resided in the territory of an EU country for at least five years, and also prove that he has a sufficient level of income, present medical insurance, and confirm knowledge of the state language. The country's authorities may refuse to grant the status of permanent resident of the EU to persons convicted of serious crimes. They may also revoke this status if a person has been outside the EU for 12 consecutive months.
What rights will permanent residents of the EU enjoy? The directive states that these people should be treated the same as citizens in the areas of employment (except for state structures), education, social security, tax benefits, purchase of goods and services, participation in trade union organizations, and freedom of movement within the territory of the state. However, the directive does not provide for the possibility of visa-free travel through the territory of the EU for these persons.
In addition, EU countries will have the opportunity to restrict some rights of permanent residents at their discretion. For example, they may pay them only minimal social benefits or restrict their right to work where they consider it necessary.
In general, it is unlikely that the status of permanent resident of the EU is beneficial for a non-citizen of Latvia, since he already has all the above-mentioned rights, and not in a truncated but in a full form. An exception may be those non-citizens who intend to work in one of the EU countries for a long period of time. Directive 2003/109/EC stipulates that a permanent resident who has received status in one country may apply for a residence permit in another, provided that he has sufficient means of subsistence or an employment contract. If such a residence permit is granted, that person may bring his family to him.
However, it should be taken into account that this directive will not work in three EU countries - Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark. It is precisely the first two states that are the main employers for both non-citizens and citizens of Latvia.