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EUROPE

‘Losers!’ Both France and EU suffer in war of words

Philippe Juvin, a member of the European parliament for France’s opposition UMP party, tells The Local the French government's ongoing attacks on Europe and José Manuel Barroso are a shameless attempt to shift blame that sees both sides end up on the losing side.

'Losers!' Both France and EU suffer in war of words
France EU. Photo: Simone Ramella

The ongoing bitter war of words between France and the EU showed no sign of abating this week as members of the Socialist government continued to launch barbs in the direction of European Commission chief José Manuel Barroso and indeed Europe in general.

The first to take a swing at Barroso was Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg who blamed him and the EU for a rise in the far right. Housing Minister Cécile Duflot then said the EU was just a 'police force' and the latest to weigh into the row was President of the National Assembly Claude Bartolone who said José Manuel Barroso had “surpassed himself” and that his “behaviour was unbearable”.

The increasingly combative Barroso of course has landed some punches of his own, calling France "reactionary", "anti-globalization" and this week denounced the "leftist chauvinists" in the Socialist government for using Europe as a "scapegoat".

Caught up between the two warring factions is the likes of Philippe Juvin, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for France's opposition UMP party. Naturally he had some harsh words to say about both parties.

Philippe Juvin (pictured): “It needs to be made clear that this row is not between France and the EU but between the French government and the EU and both sides are the losers.

“There is no winner here. It’s a double defeat for both Europe and France because it gives support to those who think that Europe is to blame for everything.

“The French government is in significant difficulty. We are in the middle of a financial crisis and ministers cannot agree on the best way to deal with it.

“Barroso made a mistake by criticizing France [for being reactionary] and when he did that, the Eurosceptics in the French government jumped on the opportunity to criticize him for being a right-wing politician.

“It was marvelous for them that they found a common enemy in Barroso. But they are simply try to shift the blame and get people talking about Europe instead of the economic crisis, which they should be dealing with.

“It’s highly irresponsible because when members of a government say these things, many members of the public think they are true.

Ruining relationships

“The government has damaged the relationship between France and the EU commission just as it has damaged the relationship between France and Germany.

“Our country is not the most powerful country in Europe and we need Germany and Germany needs us.

“People in the EU do not know what is going to happen. Many MEPs, even Socialists are increasingly concerned by this ongoing breakdown in relations between France and Europe.

“It has to be said that Barroso himself has not been ideal for Europe, nor have the policies he has pursued.

"Many people believe he is simply trying to line a job up for himself at the UN or NATO knowing he will gain US support if he attacks the French.

"We need a more productive Europe and we need a Europe which is aware of both the advantages and dangers of globalization.

Europe not to blame for far right

“It is ridiculous to blame Europe for the increase in support for the far right in France.

"The extreme right has gained popularity because of the financial crisis. When Montebourg blames Europe for the far right's boost in influence he is using exactly the same arguments the far right itself uses and indeed the far left.

“Europe is not responsible for the difficulties France faces and indeed other countries and most reasonable people know that.

“Hollande’s government, which is based on a coalition of Socialists and Communists, is weak.  He needs to deal with this situation and perhaps asking Montebourg to step down would be a start."

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BREXIT

OPINION: Pre-Brexit Brits in Europe should be given EU long-term residency

The EU has drawn up plans to make it easier for non-EU citizens to gain longterm EU residency so they can move more easily around the bloc, but Italy-based citizens' rights campaigner Clarissa Killwick says Brits who moved to the EU before Brexit are already losing out.

OPINION: Pre-Brexit Brits in Europe should be given EU long-term residency

With all the talk about the EU long-term residency permit and the proposed improvements there is no mention that UK citizens who are Withdrawal Agreement “beneficiaries” are currently being left out in the cold.

The European Commission has stated that we can hold multiple statuses including the EU long-term permit (Under a little-known EU law, third-country nationals can in theory acquire EU-wide long-term resident status if they have lived ‘legally’ in an EU country for at least five years) but in reality it is just not happening.

This effectively leaves Brits locked into their host countries while other third country nationals can enjoy some mobility rights. As yet, in Italy, it is literally a question of the computer saying no if someone tries to apply.

The lack of access to the EU long-term permit to pre-Brexit Brits is an EU-wide issue and has been flagged up to the European Commission but progress is very slow.

READ ALSO: EU government settle on rules for how non-EU citizens could move around Europe

My guess is that few UK nationals who already have permanent residency status under the Withdrawal Agreement are even aware of the extra mobility rights they could have with the EU long-term residency permit – or do not even realise they are two different things.

Perhaps there won’t be very large numbers clamouring for it but it is nothing short of discrimination not to make it accessible to British people who’ve built their lives in the EU.

They may have lost their status as EU citizens but nothing has changed concerning the contributions they make, both economically and socially.

An example of how Withdrawal Agreement Brits in Italy are losing out

My son, who has lived almost his whole life here, wanted to study in the Netherlands to improve his employment prospects.

Dutch universities grant home fees rather than international fees to holders of an EU long-term permit. The difference in fees for a Master’s, for example, is an eye-watering €18,000. He went through the application process, collecting the requisite documents, making the payments and waited many months for an appointment at the “questura”, (local immigration office).

On the day, it took some persuading before they agreed he should be able to apply but then the whole thing was stymied because the national computer system would not accept a UK national. I am in no doubt, incidentally, that had he been successful he would have had to hand in his WA  “carta di soggiorno”.

This was back in February 2022 and nothing has budged since then. In the meantime, it is a question of pay up or give up for any students in the same boat as my son. There is, in fact, a very high take up of the EU long-term permit in Italy so my son’s non-EU contemporaries do not face this barrier.

Long-term permit: The EU’s plan to make freedom of movement easier for non- EU nationals 

Completing his studies was stalled by a year until finally his Italian citizenship came through after waiting over 5 years.  I also meet working adults in Italy with the EU long-term permit who use it for work purposes, such as in Belgium and Germany, and for family reunification.  

Withdrawal agreement card should double up as EU long-term residency permit

A statement that Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries should be able to hold multiple statuses is not that easy to find. You have to scroll quite far down the page on the European Commission’s website to find a link to an explanatory document. It has been languishing there since March 2022 but so far not proved very useful.

It has been pointed out to the Commission that the document needs to be multilingual not just in English and “branded” as an official communication from the Commission so it can be used as a stand-alone. But having an official document you can wave at the immigration authorities is going to get you nowhere if Member State governments haven’t acknowledged that WA beneficiaries can hold multiple statuses and issue clear guidance and make sure systems are modified accordingly.

I can appreciate this is no mean feat in countries where they do not usually allow multiple statuses or, even if they do, issue more than one residency card. Of course, other statuses we should be able to hold are not confined to EU long-term residency, they should include the EU Blue Card, dual nationality, family member of an EU citizen…

Personally, I do think people should be up in arms about this. The UK and EU negotiated an agreement which not only removed our freedom of movement as EU citizens, it also failed to automatically give us equal mobility rights to other third country nationals. We are now neither one thing nor the other.

It would seem the only favour the Withdrawal Agreement did us was we didn’t have to go out and come back in again! Brits who follow us, fortunate enough to get a visa, may well pip us at the post being able to apply for EU long-term residency as clearly defined non-EU citizens.

I have been bringing this issue to the attention of the embassy in Rome, FCDO and the European Commission for three years now. I hope we will see some movement soon.

Finally, there should be no dragging of heels assuming we will all take citizenship of our host countries. Actually, we shouldn’t have to, my son was fortunate, even though it took a long time. Others may not meet the requirements or wish to give up their UK citizenship in countries which do not permit dual nationality.  

Bureaucratic challenges may seem almost insurmountable but why not simply allow our Withdrawal Agreement permanent card to double up as the EU long-term residency permit.

Clarissa Killwick,

Since 2016, Clarissa has been a citizens’ rights campaigner and advocate with the pan-European group, Brexpats – Hear Our Voice.
She is co-founder and co-admin of the FB group in Italy, Beyond Brexit – UK citizens in Italy.

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