OPINION: Brexit and Brits in a EU

Last week a British supervision successfully quashed amendments to a EU withdrawal legislation that would have compulsory it to take active movement on a rights of British adults vital in a EU and EU nationals in a UK.

The supervision doesn’t wish any constraints on a Brexit negotiations. Its proof is that if it acts unilaterally to pledge a rights of 3.3 million EU nationals vital in a UK afterwards it won’t have any negotiating collateral with a EU 27 over a standing of us 1.3 million Brits vital outward a UK.  Reciprocity is a buzzword and let’s not forget it.

As a British migrant vital in Belgium we can know a tactic though it’s some-more than a small dispiriting to be suspicion of as a negotiate chip. That said, I’m not even assured a supervision does see us that way. Hell – negotiate chip?  Afterthought is some-more likely.

At a moment, many of a domestic contention around a twinned fates of Brits in a EU and their EU counterparts is about a ‘right to reside’. This uncomplicated perspective does not entirely constraint a complexity of a unsentimental hurdles that Brits vital in a EU will face once a UK leaves a EU and we remove a EU citizenship. 

I am not alone in this thought. A consult we (Brussels and Europe Liberal Democrats) recently did of 5,000 Brits vital in a EU reflects a complexity and stress many here feel. It also chimes with a new Alternative White Paper from Brits in Europe that done minute process recommendations to a UK supervision on how it could pre-emptively strengthen a rights of a nationals in a EU.

Contrary to a cliché, many British ‘expats’ aren’t rich pensioners who’ve late to a Riviera to live it adult in a sun. We listened from a 25-year-old study in Paris who is disturbed what a detriment of EU citizenship will meant for his pursuit prospects in Europe.

Likewise, a lady vital in Spain who is a full time carer for her son with Aspergers worries that he might remove his desert to PIP (Personal Independence Payments) and carers. Both are now guaranteed by reciprocal arrangements between Spain and a UK as partial of a EU membership. 

And a lady in her thirties operative in Ireland is concerned about what will occur to a operative rights of her non-EU father after Brexit. At a moment, Ireland grants non-EU spouses of EU adults a involuntary right to work. But no EU citizenship, means no involuntary right to work for a spouse. 

The EU Withdrawal check has now upheld to a Lords where Opposition Peers devise to re-introduce a amendments on EU and UK migrants when it has a second conference subsequent week. So we can design a legislative ping pong to continue.

In a meantime, we negotiate chips can usually wait and wish for a good hand.

Laura Shields is Chair of Brussels and Europe Liberal Democrats

Article source: https://www.thelocal.de/20170215/opinion-brexit-and-brits-in-the-eu-bargaining-chip-or-afterthought