09/02: EUROCITIZENS MEETING WITH THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR IN SPAIN - TELL US YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT BREXIT

On 9 February, two representatives of EuroCitizens will meet the British ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley. We will take advantage of this interview to present to the Ambassador the concerns about Brexit of our members and of other British residents in Spain. If you have any specific worries about your future after the departure of the UK from the EU, please email us at: eurocitizens2016@gmail.com 
Please keep the emails reasonably short!

MAY BLAMES IMMIGRANTS FOR BRITAIN'S ILLS AS SHE LAUNCHES TRAINCRASH BREXIT

   If you have the stomach to listen to it, below is a link to Theresa May's speech in full. No comfort at all here for EU citizens in Britain or for UK nationals in the EU. Her address is an hour of puffy, jingoistic rhetoric about the United Kingdom's new and glorious role in the world as an open, trading nation. A Brexiteers' wet dream.
   When not threatening the EU with a trade war, the prime minister finally establishes what 'Brexit means Brexit' means: a red, white and blue orgy of Powellite xenophobia. Curbing European immigration is to be our only priority, above economic prosperity, above social justice, above environmental sustainability. Like Farage, May lays the blame on European immigrants for the country's ills: low wages for the working classes, run-down infrastructures, stretched public services. 
    So, Britain will crash out of the EU, the single market, the customs union, the European Court of Justice. But reducing immigration is the magic bullet. Everything will be well if we can stem the tide of foreign invaders. Won't it? 


Theresa May's full speech 

'EUROCITIZENS' GAINS MOMENTUM IN ITS FIGHT TO DEFEND EUROPEAN CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS

On Saturday 14 January, Euro- Citizens held its third monthly meeting in central Madrid. Around sixty people attended, compared to the twenty or so at our previous internal session in mid November. The increase in numbers means that we will need to look for a bigger venue. However, it is extremely positive that momentum is gathering in our fight to defend the European citizenship rights of people affected by Britain’s foreseeable departure from the EU.
     First, we summed up the progress made in contacting other groups. Last week, we had an extremely constructive meeting with leaders of ‘el Movimiento Europeo en España’ and have established plans for cooperation with the group. At the same time, we are in close contact with the branch of the European Movement in Britain. After Christmas, we met representatives of Spaniards in the UK and our two movements are now linked. Other contacts have been made with ‘el Círculo de Corresponsales Extranjeros en España’, the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, the Federation of Language Schools, the organisation of international schools in Spain, ‘la Comisión del Brexit del Congreso de los Diputados’ and the office of the European Parliament in Spain. 
      We have established a calendar of events for the next two months. A meeting is planned with the British ambassador to Spain in early February. During that month we also hope to attend an encounter with foreign correspondents in Spain. Towards the end of February we will participate in a working lunch organised by the  ‘Movimiento Europeo’ about the implications of British departure from the EU for citizens. In early March, we will hold a round table on the same topic, with the participation of a key Spanish politician and experts in the areas of education, law and health.
   We also discussed the organisation of EuroCitizens and intend to go ahead with the setting up of an association. As a provisional move, members generously made donations to cover our ongoing expenses in renting out venues. People also volunteered to help out in the following areas: contacting other groups of Britons in Spain, dealing with the press and social media, research to put together a factsheet about UK nationals in Spain and the impact of Britain’s departure from the EU. Interesting ideas for a fundraising event were also mooted.
    To sum up, the meeting was extremely constructive. The next few months promise to be crucial in the fight to make our voices heard. Our central demand is crystal clear: the guaranteeing of all European citizenship rights for UK nationals resident in Spain and elsewhere in the EU, and for Spanish and other European citizens living in Great Britain.

Our next monthly meeting will be on Saturday 18 February (venue to be confirmed).

EUROCITIZENS SE REUNE CON DOS ACTIVISTAS ESPAÑOLES QUE VIVEN EN EL REINO UNIDO

Nacho Morais, Michael Harris y Luz Villarubia

La semana pasada un representante de EuroCitizens quedó en el centro de Madrid con dos activistas españoles que viven en el Reino Unido, aprovechando las fiestas navideñas. Tuvimos un largo y fructífero intercambio de información, opiniones y planes. Promete ser el principio de una colaboración muy interesante entre los dos colectivos afectados de lleno por el Brexit. Nacho Morais lleva mucho tiempo militando en campañas a favor de Europa y actualmente es coordenador en 'West London for Europe'. Nos dio un resumen muy útil de los distintos grupos que luchan contra el Brexit, como Open Britain, Common Ground y More United. En octubre del año pasado  Luz Villarubia montó un grupo en Facebook, 'Españoles en el Reino Unido, sobreviviendo el Brexit' con el objetivo de dar apoyo mutuo e información a los ciudadanos españoles residentes en Gran Bretaña. En diciembre lograron una reunión con el embajador español en Londres, Federico Trillo, que tuvo un gran impacto mediatico en España. Nacho y Luz informaron sobre la situación de los emigrantes españoles: problemas con la burocracia británica para documentar su estancia en el RU algo necesario para conseguir la residencia permanente, un clima de creciente xenofobia y racismo contra los españoles que han hecho su hogar en Gran Bretaña.  

14/01: THE FIRST MEETING OF EUROCITIZENS IN 2017

On Saturday 14 January, EuroCitizens will hold our next working meeting (Bar La Inquilina, C/ Ave María 39, Metro Lavapiés, 12,00H). The session is open to all our supporters. We will discuss the moves of the group as Britain moves inexorably towards the activation of Clause 50. Apart from talking about organisational matters, we will outline our plans for a high profile event a the end of February/start of March. The next few months promise to be very intense for EuroCitizens as the political pressure builds in London, Brussels and Madrid. It is vital that we make our voices heard, to protect the rights of UK nationals in Spain and of Spanish citizens in Britain. 

Please share this with friends and colleagues and come along!