Christmas comes early for UK and EU expats as residence rights guaranteed

A last-minute breakthrough in talks between Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker this Friday morning has resulted in the best news in years for EU and UK expats.

Britons living across Europe and the three million EU citizens in the UK can finally get on with their lives knowing the draft agreement guarantees their rights to live, work or study in their chosen countries after Brexit is finalised. For those who decide they want to stay forever, there will be a joint EU/UK arrangement by which they can apply to gain certificates of residence. The process will be enshrined in the Withdrawal Agreement and bureaucratic requirements are expected to be simple and inexpensive.

If EU member states decide to introduce a residency card for UK expats, a period of two years is expected to be granted before application is required, with no loss of rights to expats during the interim period. For those who miss the deadline for good reasons such as hospitalisation, a ‘proportional’ approach will be taken. The entire agreement in principle included the so-called Divorce payment and the Irish border question, and must now obtain ratification from both the UK and EU parliaments.

As a result of the meeting, the European Commission is now recommending the start of phase two negotiations on trade and the withdrawal transition period. London Mayor Sadiq Khan stated he welcomed Theresa May’s apparent U-turn on expats’ rights, adding he needed to examine the small print in order to be able to give unambiguous reassurance to the millions of EU citizens in Britain as regards their full rights as stated.

The CBI also welcomed the apparent rights issue resolution, but said it’s essential expats both in the EU and UK are made to feel welcome, whichever direction the rest of the negotiations takes. For businesses, it said, concrete assurances are needed in order to allow businesses in Britain and the EU the chance to hold back on their contingency plans.