Sue Wilson of Bremain in Spain takes a look at the latest calls to safeguard the rights of British citizens living in the EU in the wake of Brexit and how there is still more to be done.
With Brexit negotiations randomly on again, off again, it’s rare that the topic of citizens’ rights comes up these days. We regularly hear about fishing, or the “level playing field”, but our rights as UK citizens have recently been largely ignored.

This week, the Future Relationship with the European Union committee (FREU) proved that it still has our best interests at heart with the publication of a report. The cross-party House of Commons committee, headed by Hilary Benn MP, has always looked out for the rights of British citizens in the EU and EU citizens in the UK.

Formerly known as the Exiting the EU committee, until Brexit was “done”, it has listened to evidence from many witnesses representing various demographics and sectors. Campaign groups for UK citizens in the EU, and EU citizens in the UK, have regularly presented evidence concerning the issues we face after Brexit, myself included.

At this late stage, it’s reassuring that the committee is still focusing on our rights and is unanimous in its conclusion that these “must be a priority”. In its report issued on Tuesday, FREU urged “the UK and EU to ensure that the citizens’ rights protections in the Withdrawal Agreement are fully implemented for UK nationals living across the EU and EU citizens in the UK”.

You can read the article in full, along with the committee’s points of note for UK citizens in the EU, over at The Local. 

Initially nervous at the prospect of travelling to the UK from Spain during Covid-19 times Sue Wilson found the lack of checks by British authorities only served to increase her unease.

As those of us with family and friends in the UK are aware, travel between Britain and Spain is currently problematic. The Covid safety measures implemented throughout Europe have made travel difficult, if not impossible. The UK government’s application of quarantine to visitors from Spain have only made the situation more complex and unsettling.

With new cases rising exponentially – especially in Spain, France and the UK – many people welcome a cautious approach from governments. However, confusing rules that are not backed by any scientific evidence do little to inspire public confidence. This applies to residents and visitors alike.

Although Spain is experiencing Covid levels matching those in March, thankfully the death rate is down significantly. This seems to be a pattern worldwide, even in countries that are experiencing more cases than ever before. UK cases are at their highest level to date – approximately three times higher than at the peak during lockdown. However, the safety measures are less restrictive than during the “first wave”.

Many people have expressed concern re their safety and that of their UK families. With obvious exceptions – such as Covid hotspot Madrid – Brits appear to feel safer in Spain than in the UK.

Having recently returned from a three-week trip to the UK, I was initially nervous at the prospect. I was concerned about flying and potentially being trapped in a crowd at the airport. I need not have worried. Only 31 people were on my flight and the usually packed passport control area at Stansted airport was deserted. Baggage reclaim was the only place with any sign of life.

I duly completed my online paperwork for the British government, detailing where I was staying and providing contact details for track and trace. During two weeks of quarantine, I was never contacted. I can’t say I was surprised, but the lack of contact increased my unease about my personal safety in England.

When I was finally free to go outside, I visited my mum in her care home for the first time in eight months. Those visits – for a maximum of 30 minutes a day – involved me wearing an apron, mask and gloves and maintaining a two-metre distance. Not an ideal way to spend our reunion, but a price worth paying for the safety of the care home residents and staff.

You can read the full article over at The Local. 

Sue Wilson analyzes the UK’s controversial Immigration Bill and why it’s important for Brits in Spain.

The British government has recently faced a string of defeats in the House of Lords over its controversial Immigration Bill.

Against the backdrop of the Conservative Party conference, and some toxic anti-asylum-seeker rhetoric from Home Secretary, Priti Patel, members of the House of Lords emphatically voted against the government’s plans.

The five government defeats largely concerned amendments about the rights of immigrants in the UK. Not least the Dubbs amendment, aimed to protect the rights of unaccompanied child refugees. However, the Lords are also concerned with the rights of British citizens living in the EU.

For people protected by the Withdrawal Agreement, the Lords propose provisions for UK citizens “to return to the United Kingdom accompanied by, or to be joined in the United Kingdom by, close family members”.

Peers also backed not placing financial restrictions on Brits returning to the UK with their EU families from March 2022.

For those residing in the EU, the issue of being separated from close family members is important.

How can anyone choose between a dependent in the UK and one in Spain? Nobody should be forced to make that decision.

Thanks to Brexit, we must adjust to a new normality. It rubs salt in our wounds that the EU is more willing to protect our rights – including freedom of movement – than the British government has ever been.

When the Brexit talks started, our freedom of movement was on the negotiating table. It did not remain there for long, once prime minister, Theresa May, insisted on her red lines. To ensure that EU citizens’ rights in the UK were restricted, the rights of UK citizens in the EU became collateral damage in the negotiations.

To read the full article pop over to The Local. 

Sue Wilson examines concerns over the news that British banks are cutting off customers living in the EU thanks to Brexit.

British citizens across Europe have recently received letters from some of the UK’s biggest banks, advising that their UK-based bank accounts will be closed when the Brexit transition period ends.  These closures will apply to credit card and/or current account holders who live in the EU but maintain banking facilities in the UK.

Britain’s largest banking group, Lloyds, started notifying of account closures in August, although not in all EU countries. Lloyds said it had written to customers living in “affected EU countries” to advise it could no longer provide them with “some UK-based banking services”, because of Brexit.

Confusion is increased due to the fact that only some banks are taking this stance, and only in selected EU countries. At present, only Lloyds, Coutts and Barclaycard (not Barclays bank) have notified customers of account closures.

Recent newspaper coverage, especially in the UK media, has done little to curb customers’ concerns about the issue. Headlines warning that tens of thousands of Brits “would be stripped of their bank accounts and credit cards in weeks” have caused sufficient concern that many customers have contacted their financial providers, regardless of whether they’ve received a letter. The responses they received have hardly been enlightening or reassuring.

It’s understandable that answers are vague. While Brexit negotiations are ongoing, and before any deal between the EU and the UK is reached – if one is reached – then the terms for transferring monies to the EU are an unknown quantity. If the current EU-wide banking rules no longer apply to the UK after December 31st, it would be illegal for UK banks to provide services in the EU without a licence.

If no agreement is reached, banks will decide if it is cost-effective to apply for these licences. That decision will be based on the number of customers in a country, and the level of financial activity. You can, perhaps, draw your own conclusions from the fact that Lloyds has written to 13,000 customers in the Netherlands, Slovakia, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Portugal, and not to customers in Spain and France.

The British Embassy responded quickly to British migrants, updating its website with the following statement: “Most people living in Europe should not see any changes to their banking when the transition period ends (31st December 2020). Whether UK banks can service customers living in an EEA (European Economic Area) country is a matter of local law and regulation. Also banks are set up differently, and may have taken different actions to continue to serve their customers. Your bank or finance provider should contact you if they need to make any changes to your product or the way they provide it. If you have any concerns about whether you might be affected, contact your provider or seek independent financial advice.”

You can read the article in full over at The Local.