More than four out of five Britons living in the EU are worried that Brexit will strip them of their right to remain in their country of residence, according to a survey published by the Brussels and Europe Liberal Democrats today.
The survey of 5170 British citizens living in the EU, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein found that the right to work, both for UK citizens and their non-EU spouses, as well as continued access to child, disability, healthcare and pension benefits were all issues that might limit the ability of British migrants to remain in their EU country of residence after Brexit.
The British Government and the EU are currently at a stand off on the mutual assurance of the rights to remain for 1.3 million British nationals living in the EU and the three million Europeans living in the UK.
Laura Shields, Chair of Brussels and Europe Liberal Democrats warned against sacrificing British citizens to politics. “UK politicians must accept that the ‘right to reside' is not the same as an actual ability to stay. Losing their EU citizenship will bring a myriad of practical problems for Brits in the EU which can’t be fixed in a quick quid pro quo residency deal with the EU 27. The Government must think this through properly and ensure it doesn't throw us under Boris’s Brexit blunder bus,” she said.
Among Britons living in France and Spain, maintaining healthcare and pension rights were the greatest concerns while Britons in Denmark and Belgium were primarily worried about the right to work and move freely within the Union.
One British man based in Germany expressed his concern about being able to carry on his own business, “I am own a small business in Germany and we offer services in several EU countries. Will I still be able to work in these countries out of Germany, or will I require a separate work permit for every country?” he said.
Last week, the House of Commons authorised the British Government to initiate the formal Brexit process by triggering Article 50, creating even greater insecurity among Brits abroad.
Catherine Bearder, Liberal Democrat MEP said the Government shouldn’t freewheel with people’s lives. “The Conservative Brexit Government is playing fast and loose with the lives and families of Brits living elsewhere in the EU. It denied many of them a vote in the EU referendum and now it is using them as bargaining chips. Liberal Democrats will not stand by and see them left in the dark.”
