EU court adviser backs Britain on welfare rules

LUXEMBOURG, Oct (HKSE: 3366-OL.HK - news) 6 (Reuters) - A senior adviser to the European Union's top court recommended on Tuesday that it dismiss a case against Britain brought by the EU executive, which had complained that restrictions on welfare payments discriminated against non-British EU citizens.

In a case closely followed in Britain ahead of a referendum on EU membership, a spokesman for the European Court of Justice said the advocate-general, whose recommendations are generally followed by the judges, found the European Commission's complaint should be dismissed.

The EU executive had said Britain was discriminating by imposing certain residence qualifications on foreign EU citizens before paying child benefit. (Reporting by Michele Sinner; Writing by Alastair Macdonald)