Brexit select committee urges EU to officially protect UK expat rights

Britain’s Brexit select committee has called on EU leaders to protect the rights of the one million UK citizens living in EU member states. \r\n\r\nAs Britain edges closer to a no-deal Brexit and UK expats in EU countries become even more afraid, Brexit select committee MPs are urging Brussels to ensure a public commitment to an estimated million Brits living and working in Europe. Should the UK crash out of Europe next March, these ‘forgotten victims’ will lose their chosen lives and rights to travel and work within the EU. Chair of the parliamentary committee and Labour party MP Hilary Benn told reporters whatever the final result of the negotiations, it’s essential that all EU member state governments make it totally clear to all EU citizen expats that they can stay where they’ve made their homes.\r\n\r\nIn a report published last Monday, the committee finally stated the deal involving both EU citizens in the UK and UK expats in Europe is far from being an official certainty, especially as Brits in Europe will be far worse off post- Brexit even although some rights are now guaranteed. Free movement and the recognition of professional qualifications are still massive stumbling blocks, with both having the potential to wreck careers, small businesses and lives. EU citizens in the UK have been told they will be able to stay after Brexit, no matter what happens, but no such assurance has been officially given to UK expats by any European state’s government. \r\n\r\nIn June, the committee were told by British expat campaign groups their members were forgotten victims of Brexit and are being used as hostages both by the UK and the EU during negotiations. Also expressed by the campaign groups was the position of EU expatriates in the UK in that they should be provided with physical residence cards after being granted settled status. At present, they are to be given digital ID numbers reliant on online checks to confirm their rights to remain. According to founder of the 3million group Nicolas Hatton, having an actual document proving settled status would reduce not only discrimination in the workplace but also help when dealing with private landlords or public services.