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Brits in Europe are Brexit forgotten victims
| Published: | 23 Jun at 6 PM |
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As the UK government releases its advanced plans for guaranteeing an easy ride for EU expats in Britain, British expats in Europe are still waiting for official confirmation of their right to remain.
Campaign groups including British in Europe have long been calling for the release by EU member states of plans to ensure security and the right to remain for UK citizens living, working or retiring in Europe. Now that the UK government has released details of its drastically simplified ID system for EU citizens wishing to stay in Britain post-Brexit, UK expats all across EU member states are even more uncertain about their futures.
Many now feel lawmakers have given up their only bargaining chip as regards equal treatment for all expats affected by the EU/UK divorce. In a ‘too little, too late’ moment, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has expressed his concern that EU member states have not yet provided details as to their support for Britons in Europe. Although his concern was welcomed by campaign groups, chair of British in Europe Jane Golding feels it comes a little too late and a little rich, adding the group doesn’t want a mirror image of the UK plan introduced in all EU countries.
Golding believes Javid is asking the wrong questions as well as being seemingly unable to understand that the government has thrown its expatriates into even more uncertainty through its insistence on introducing simplified settled status for EU migrants. The EU, she said, isn’t even slightly interested in discussing the matter until next December, thus leaving over a million British lives on hold. She’s also called on Theresa May, David Davis and the home secretary to meet with the group in order to find out what its members actually need rather than just deciding what’s best for Brexit’s forgotten victims.
Campaign groups including British in Europe have long been calling for the release by EU member states of plans to ensure security and the right to remain for UK citizens living, working or retiring in Europe. Now that the UK government has released details of its drastically simplified ID system for EU citizens wishing to stay in Britain post-Brexit, UK expats all across EU member states are even more uncertain about their futures.
Many now feel lawmakers have given up their only bargaining chip as regards equal treatment for all expats affected by the EU/UK divorce. In a ‘too little, too late’ moment, Home Secretary Sajid Javid has expressed his concern that EU member states have not yet provided details as to their support for Britons in Europe. Although his concern was welcomed by campaign groups, chair of British in Europe Jane Golding feels it comes a little too late and a little rich, adding the group doesn’t want a mirror image of the UK plan introduced in all EU countries.
Golding believes Javid is asking the wrong questions as well as being seemingly unable to understand that the government has thrown its expatriates into even more uncertainty through its insistence on introducing simplified settled status for EU migrants. The EU, she said, isn’t even slightly interested in discussing the matter until next December, thus leaving over a million British lives on hold. She’s also called on Theresa May, David Davis and the home secretary to meet with the group in order to find out what its members actually need rather than just deciding what’s best for Brexit’s forgotten victims.
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