UK says EU offers restricted post-Brexit residency rights to Britons

[webfact]

UK says EU offers restricted post-Brexit residency rights to Britons

 

FILE PHOTO: UK Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis gives a statement at the start of a first full round of talks on Britain's divorce terms from the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium July 17, 2017. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union has proposed that Britons living in the bloc after Brexit will only have the right to stay in the country where they are resident when Britain leaves, Brexit minister David Davis said in a letter on Wednesday.

 

The future rights of UK nationals living in the EU and EU nationals living in Britain is one of the issues the bloc wants to settle in the first stage of negotiations. Only then will it move on to talks over the future trading relationship.

 

In a letter updating a committee of lawmakers from Britain's upper house of parliament on the negotiations, Davis said the EU was only offering restricted residency rights to Britons.

 

"Their offer only guarantees residence rights in the member state in which a British national was resident at the point of our exit from the EU. It does not guarantee the holder ... any right to onward movement within the EU, for example to work or study in a neighbouring member state," he said.

 

"We have questioned whether this is consistent with the principle of reciprocity, and also with the Commission's desire to protect rights currently enjoyed under EU law. This will be the subject of further discussion in due course."

 

The European Commission, the Brussels-based executive arm of the EU where a special team is negotiating with London on behalf of the other 27 states, said divorce negotiations should start with addressing the uncertainty caused by Brexit.

 

"That includes the financial settlement and the uncertainty that surrounds the rights of EU citizens in the UK and of UK citizens in the EU," a spokeswoman said.

 

"This should be agreed on the principles of continuity, reciprocity and non-discrimination," she said, adding that the triggering of the exit clause by Britain "does not change the right to free movement".

 

She added: "Nor should it affect the rights of citizens who have made life choices on the basis of EU law and EU membership."

 

After the first full round of talks last month, chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier said there was "a fundamental divergence" between the two sides on how to protect the rights of expatriates after Brexit.

 

Britain set out proposals in June to allow current immigrants from the EU to retain healthcare, work rights and other benefits that are more generous than those given to migrants from elsewhere.

 

It said those who had lived in Britain for five years by an as yet unspecified cut-off point could acquire "settled status" similar to permanent residency. Those more recently arrived would be allowed to stay until they achieved this status.

 

The next round of Brexit talks is due to take place in the last week of August.

 

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan, additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska in Brussels, Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Andrew Bolton)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-08-10

[Bangyo1948]

Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,You can't have both. You wanted out because,among other things,you were tiered of EU citizens in Britain,now you want to have "rights of free movement" within Europe. This will be very hard for the remaining European member states to accept.


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[Grouse]

1 minute ago, Bangyo1948 said:

Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,You can't have both. You wanted out because,among other things,you were tiered of EU citizens in Britain,now you want to have "rights of free movement" within Europe. This will be very hard for the remaining European member states to accept.


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Indeed! 

 

This is one of the most damaging aspects of this Brexit nonsense. It will disproportionately affect the young and also retirees wishing  to live in a European country of their choice. And for what real benefits? None ?

[Kenegg]

59 minutes ago, Bangyo1948 said:

Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,You can't have both. You wanted out because,among other things,you were tiered of EU citizens in Britain,now you want to have "rights of free movement" within Europe. This will be very hard for the remaining European member states to accept.


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I think you will find its the other way round...far far more EU citizens live in the UK than UK citizens live in Europe....there is NO free healthcare in Europe....

[RuamRudy]

1 hour ago, Kenegg said:

I think you will find its the other way round...far far more EU citizens live in the UK than UK citizens live in Europe....there is NO free healthcare in Europe....

Nor is there in the UK. Hospitals are supposed to gather the details of non-UK residents who receive treatment for later charging, however our over-worked and under-resourced NHS staff (according, at least, to my casualty nurse sister)  more often than not don't have the time to fill out the paperwork required, so there is no follow-up. But you cannot blame the patient or the EU for that - successive UK governments bear the responsibility there. 

[dick dasterdly]

3 hours ago, Bangyo1948 said:

Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,You can't have both. You wanted out because,among other things,you were tiered of EU citizens in Britain,now you want to have "rights of free movement" within Europe. This will be very hard for the remaining European member states to accept.


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"Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,"

 

I agree and cannot understand why Davies would think UK citizens already living in another EU country should have freedom of movement within the EU after brexit?

 

An agreement allowing current EU citizens in the UK (and similarly UK nationals in the EU) to remain is fair enough - but Davies arguing for something more makes no sense.

[Grouse]

2 hours ago, Kenegg said:

I think you will find its the other way round...far far more EU citizens live in the UK than UK citizens live in Europe....there is NO free healthcare in Europe....

Codswallop

 

EU citizens come (came) because the UK economy was doing well and there were jobs aplenty. 

 

The pound is now worth much less against the Euro so the UK is far less interesting to EU labour.

 

UK undereducated workers do not flood into Europe for Euro wages because they are typically monoglot.

 

Do you think EU countries typically don't have health care free at the point of delivery? The NHS is depressingly far from world class these days.

[Grouse]

5 minutes ago, dick dasterdly said:

"Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,"

 

I agree and cannot understand why Davies would think UK citizens already living in another EU country should have freedom of movement within the EU after brexit?

 

An agreement allowing current EU citizens in the UK (and similarly UK nationals in the EU) to remain is fair enough - but Davies arguing for something more makes no sense.

None of it makes any sense

 

Still waiting to here what are the real tangible benefits for me and my family.

[nauseus]

Davis is just passing on the EU position. Why should British people in the EU expect to be able to move around it willy-nilly after the UK leaves it? Davis has neither asked for this, nor or expected it, I think? 

Edited August 10, 2017 by nauseus

[peterb17]

25 minutes ago, Grouse said:

None of it makes any sense

 

Still waiting to here what are the real tangible benefits for me and my family.

Mmm 

 

Always what's in it for ME? 

 

That's the trouble with Europe- vast amounts of people taking out and not putting much in. 

 

Sorry 

[dick dasterdly]

10 minutes ago, nauseus said:

Davis is just passing on the EU position. Why should British people in the EU expect to be able to move around it willy-nilly after the UK leaves it? Davis has neither asked for this, nor or expected it, I think? 

I suspect you're right and this article is typical media mis-representation.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, dick dasterdly said:

"Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,"

 

I agree and cannot understand why Davies would think UK citizens already living in another EU country should have freedom of movement within the EU after brexit?

 

An agreement allowing current EU citizens in the UK (and similarly UK nationals in the EU) to remain is fair enough - but Davies arguing for something more makes no sense.

 

Maybe because the negotiation and resultant deal will be between the UK and the EU. Not the UK and each individual EU member state. 

 

So UK citizens currently living in another EU member country would be entitled to still live in the EU. Restricting it to only the country they are currently in is an additional limitation. 

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, nauseus said:

Davis is just passing on the EU position. Why should British people in the EU expect to be able to move around it willy-nilly after the UK leaves it? Davis has neither asked for this, nor or expected it, I think? 

 

Because it is the EU negotiating with the UK, not individual member states. It is the right to live in the EU not live in a member state.

 

Another complication. But the EU negotiators can't chop and change to suit themselves either.

[Khun Han]

7 hours ago, Bangyo1948 said:

Leaving the EU means no right to free movement,within the EU,You can't have both. You wanted out because,among other things,you were tiered of EU citizens in Britain,now you want to have "rights of free movement" within Europe. This will be very hard for the remaining European member states to accept.


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Did you not read the op, and the EU spokeswoman's statement about EU policy? Barnier's team appears to be at odds with the organisation they represent.

[KNJ]

So Francois in London cannot go to live in  Cardiff, Aberdeen or Belfast.

Jorge in Cardiff cannot go to live in Aberdeen, London or Belfast

Wolfgang in Aberdeen cannot go to live in London, Cardiff or Belfast  and

Cxzzllacxz  ( sorry don't know any Polish names ) in Belfast cannot go live in London Cardiff or Aberdeen...........problem solved

[nauseus]

1 hour ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Because it is the EU negotiating with the UK, not individual member states. It is the right to live in the EU not live in a member state.

 

Another complication. But the EU negotiators can't chop and change to suit themselves either.

Well I mentioned it because as far as I had heard so far and understood it  was that any deal would be to allow UK people already in EU Europe to remain there (but in their single country of choice as a resident). 

[dunroaming]

Just another page filler.  All this was announced four weeks ago.  Everyone is on holiday now apart from the pen pushers who are treading water until it all resumes after the hols.  Don't know why this is newsworthy anyway.  It seems perfectly reasonable to me.

[Grouse]

6 hours ago, peterb17 said:

Mmm 

 

Always what's in it for ME? 

 

That's the trouble with Europe- vast amounts of people taking out and not putting much in. 

 

Sorry 

You misunderstand. I want to know what real tangible benefits there will be from Brexit? Or are you just being obtuse?

[Bangyo1948]

9 hours ago, Kenegg said:

I think you will find its the other way round...far far more EU citizens live in the UK than UK citizens live in Europe....there is NO free healthcare in Europe....

Well you don't pay to go to the hospital in Denmark and I am sure no one will be charged anywhere in the EU if they have the European Health Insurance card

[dunroaming]

2 minutes ago, Bangyo1948 said:

Well you don't pay to go to the hospital in Denmark and I am sure no one will be charged anywhere in the EU if they have the European Health Insurance card

Whilst the UK are in the EU, Brits are covered in other EU countries, however after Brexit we are not.

[Grouse]

The knuckle draggers neither care about nor understand the huge benefits of being able to live, work, play and retire anywhere in the EU. Pointless debate. Pie and chips with a pint of lager on the Costa Brava is exotic for them ?

[dunroaming]

4 minutes ago, Grouse said:

The knuckle draggers neither care about nor understand the huge benefits of being able to live, work, play and retire anywhere in the EU. Pointless debate. Pie and chips with a pint of lager on the Costa Brava is exotic for them ?

Agreed but will they pay the higher costs after Brexit?  Maybe they will choose Scarborough instead.  Better pies anyway!