What is not in the Withdrawal Agreement?

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WHAT IS NOT COVERED IN THE WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT

June 2018: Defending our right to free movement at the Commons Select Committee on Brexit.
* The quotes are from an article in The Guardian published on 27/01/20.

Dear Briton in Europe,

So far we have focused on what rights the Withdrawal Agreement has given us. In this issue we will look at the ones that have been taken from us, as our status is downgraded from full European citizens to third-country nationals under the protection of the Withdrawal Agreement.

British in Europe lobbied hard throughout every stage of the drafting of the WA and vigorously pressed our case for keeping our existing rights. However, the UK government failed to support our demands, obsessed with ending the freedom of movement for EU citizens coming to the UK.

The result of this has been that our right to move, reside and work in other EU27 member states will terminate at the end of the transition period. Similarly, we will lose our automatic right under EU law to work across borders or to offer services in other EU countries. Some professional qualifications (such as home titles for UK lawyers) will also not be covered. The story does not end there as we will also lose some family reunification rights (both in our host country and if we wish to return to the UK with non-British family). Go to the full list.

Further rights for citizens can be negotiated during the future relationship talks, and our key priority this year is to lobby to keep as many of these rights as possible, as the loss of any of them has potentially grave impacts on the lives of many Britons living in the EU.

If you think this is important, for you or for people you know, please donate!
With best wishes,

BiE steering group

Click on the infographic below for our full explanation:

WHY IS FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT SO IMPORTANT FOR US?

In May 2018 British in Europe did a survey on how the loss of freedom of movement would affect us. See full results here.

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What's our story?

The British in Europe coalition was founded in early 2017 to fight for the rights of Britons in the EU27, and is led by a Steering Team whose members have worked on a voluntary basis for three years. Throughout that period we have campaigned alongside the3million, the group representing EU27 citizens in the UK. We have battled to keep our existing rights and to stop Brexit from destroying the lives we have created in our new countries.

For three years we have lived and breathed citizens' rights. We have pored over EU directives and case law to produce powerful dossiers which highlight the human cost of Brexit for the 1.2 million Britons in Europe. We have given evidence at the European Parliament, Westminster and national parliaments around the EU. Along with the3million, we have explained our plight to senior politicians such as Michel Barnier, Jeremy Corbyn, Guy Verhofstadt and Stephen Barclay. We have provided expert analysis and opinion across the media, building up a strong social media presence to break stereotypes about us and show how our loss of rights will affect our everyday lives.

BiE groups around the EU

British in Germany e.V. has vigorously campaigned for the rights of UK citizens living across Germany: organising discussions and Stammtische (pub nights) across Germany; demonstrations at the Brandenburg Gate; reality-checking and information-giving at British Embassy events; getting a regular British in Germany voice in the German media; social media campaigns, free movement video campaigns. Some of the work is less visible but arguably more effective: building links to German decision-makers nationally and regionally. Ongoing meetings with German regional and national ministries have helped shape Germany’s formal positions towards the 120,000 Brits living in Germany, and our expert legal analysis and formal submissions to the Bundestag have had a direct impact on German legislation affecting the lives of Brits across the country. Now, after a year of focus on “no-deal” risks, BiG is looking at the consequences and implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement. Despite the great strain of the last three years on many of our volunteers, with support from each other and from our wider members and donors, there remains a job to do.