European Union – Freedom of movement. Article 7(1)(a) and (3)(c) of Directive (EC) 2004/78 should be interpreted as meaning that a national of a member state who, having exercised his right to free movement, had acquired, in another member state, the status of worker within the meaning of art 7(1)(a) of that directive, on account of the activity he had pursued there for a period of two weeks, otherwise than under a fixed-term employment contract, before becoming involuntarily unemployed, retained the status of worker for a further period of no less than six months under those provisions, provided that he had registered as a jobseeker with the relevant employment office. The Court of Justice of the European Union so held in a preliminary ruling in proceedings concerning the refusal by the Minister for Social Protection (Ireland) to grant the applicant jobseeker's allowance.