EUROCITIZENS DISCUSSES CITIZENS RIGHTS UNDER THE WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT AT THE UK EMBASSY

On Thursday 19 December, five EuroCitizens met HM Consul for Madrid, Sarah-Jane Morris, and citizens' rights specialist, Lorna Geddie, at the British Embassy. We analysed the new scenario resulting from the UK general election which will involve an orderly Brexit on 31 January 2020.

We discussed UK and EU-wide preparation for implementing the Citizens Rights chapter of the Withdrawal Agreement after 31/12/20, the end of the transition period. This will include a joint EU/UK implementation committee and involve coordination by the European Commission of measures for UKinEU taken by the twenty-seven Member States.

There are a series of questions about how the Spanish government will implement the Withdrawal Agreement but both HMG and EuroCitizens aim to clarify these in the New Year. Of particular interest are registration procedures, minimum requirements and resourcing in provinces with large British populations like Alicante. What is clear is that UKinSP after the end of the transition period will have a special immigration status as a finite group protected by the Withdrawal Agreement but it is uncertain how this might overlap with other possible statuses like EU family member or EU long-term residence.

EuroCitizens pointed out concerns relating to data protection and UK/EU coordination on reciprocal healthcare and social security as Britain will be leaving the General Data Protection Regulation. We also raised issues, such as EU-wide freedom of movement and cross-border service provision, to be discussed in next year's UK/EU negotiations and those within the unilateral grant of the UK government such as home fees for UKinEU and family reunification for Britons returning to the UK with EU family.

EuroCitizens will be in close touch with the Embassy team in January to ascertain the details of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and to communicate these to the 360,000 plus Britons in Spain who will benefit from lifelong protection under the section on citizens' rights.   

EUROCITIZENS STATEMENT ON THE RESULTS OF THE 2019 GENERAL ELECTION

 

Information: BBC

After last night's Tory landslide victory, the default scenario is now a Deal in January. The Withdrawal Agreement will have to go through Parliament and there will be scrutiny, especially on the Northern Ireland clauses, but Johnson's big majority should make it relatively easy. So by 31/01/20 we should be out.

Looking on the bright side, which it is not easy to do for most of us, this means that UKinEU and EUinUK will at least have the protection of an international treaty, which was not the case with No Deal. See below a table with our analysis of what we will lose and keep in a deal - and what is still not clear.

What are we going to do next? Next week, EuroCitizens will be asking for meetings with the UK Embassy and the Spanish government in order to clarify what will happen in seven weeks time and how we will be dealt with in a Deal. We presume (and hope) that the Spanish administration will use all the work they have done on Brexit contingency plans (Royal Decree 5/2019) for a straightforward declaratory registration system with a generous 'grace period'.

It is a very difficult day for the 360,000 Britons in Spain, most of whom were disenfranchised in yesterday's elections and whose loss of EU citizenship (and the rights that it entails) is virtually inevitable unless they can get Spanish nationality. The only silver lining is that Deal is a lot better than No Deal. Even if the UK fails next year to agree on a future trade agreement with the EU, our basic rights in Spain will be guaranteed.