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.
