Fearful Brit expats in EU given hope by ECJ ruling

As Brexit’s depths become even more murky, a ray of light via the European Court of Justice is giving hope to confused, fearful British expats.

According to a top ECJ official, the UK may unconditionally and unilaterally withdraw from Brexit should it so wish. The decision of the EC’s Attorney General is non-binding but highly influential, and basically means British lawmakers could cancel Article 50 at any time without contravening any existing laws. British barrister Jolyon Maugham, whose case was recently denied by the ECJ, believes the AG’s decision is crucial to getting rid of Brexit once and for all as it removes the risk of Britain’s wanting to withdraw but being prevented from doing so by other EU leaders demanding difficult conditions.

At present, the possibility of a Peoples’ Vote, a decision by British MPs or another general election is keeping hopes alive in expat communities all over Europe as well as in the UK amongst would-be expat retirees who’ve recently bought holiday homes in Spain and France in the hope of a trouble-free retirement. The AG’s opinion was published following a question put to him by the highest court in Scotland, with British lawmakers unsuccessfully appealing against it as they believed the question to be hypothetical. In reply to that argument, the AG stated the ‘issue has obvious practical importance’.

Maugham’s statement released Thursday said the decision over the UK’s future as now back where it belongs, in the hands of elected representatives. He added MPs should now search their consciences and be prepared to act in the UK’s and its citizens’ best interests. The AG has proposed the ECJ should agree that Article 50 can be unilaterally revoked up until March 29 2019, and also accept that the possibility remains until the formal conclusion of the final withdrawal agreement. The court is now considering its position and will give its official ruling some time in the next few weeks.