Pan European Green Card under scrutiny by EU parliament

The New Europeans campaign group’s idea of an EU ‘green card’ would solve the burning issue of UK expats in Europe and EU expats in the UK.

A recent opinion poll by the group found some 66 per cent of those who took part were in favour of an immediate guarantee of rights for EU citizens living in Britain, with the rights of UK citizens in EU member states as a concomitant. Just 21 per cent of respondents opposed to the suggestion, with the poll’s findings reinforcing the belief that lives and livelihoods should not be wrecked by political posturing, nor be used as pawns in political one-upmanship games.

Given that time and negotiations are dragging on with seemingly no concrete results, the New European group’s suggestion of an EU green card designated by legal residency seems to be a sensible solution to an escalating nightmare. For Brits, a Europe-wide green card would give rights to work and reside in any member state, with parallel arrangements applying to EU citizens living and working legally in Britain.

The concept would be similar to the US Green Card but with fewer checks and balances on people movement, although the group would prefer a concept allowing third country nationals in the EU to be included. The freedom the scheme would give is decidedly in the interest of the UK as the three million EU citizens at present contribute far more in taxes than they take out in benefits – a figure of around £2 billion every year ends up in the Treasury’s coffers. Unfortunately, the French and Spanish economies don’t benefit to such an extent from the numbers of expat resident Britons as most are retirees using local healthcare services.

The 66 per cent of survey respondents which supported immediate guaranteed rights for EU expats was made up of supporters of all major political parties with the unsurprising exception of the UK Independence Party. Social status covered low-skilled workers as well as higher earners and professionals, debunking the myth that the low-skilled have everything to lose from expat labour. It’s accepted that expats have been fuelling economic growth in the UK, but the government may not prioritise expat participation post-Brexit.

The introduction of a Europe-wide green card including the UK would not only guarantee the rights of expats already living and working overseas, but would also hopefully allow would-be British expatriates and retirees to settle in their chosen European countries. Whether moving to elsewhere in Europe for work, retirement, investment or a business start-up, the right to free movement post-Brexit is the most important aspect of ensuring continuing migration and the benefits it’s been bringing to the human race for millennia. Barnier and the EU negotiating team are aware of the proposal and it’s now under scrutiny by both the European parliament and the Commission.