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EXPATS

How a Brexit would make life uncertain for Brits in France

A France-based British expat lays out everything that will be up in the air for Brits living in France, if the UK votes to leave the EU.

How a Brexit would make life uncertain for Brits in France
Photo: AFP

Brian Cave, a British national living in Gourdon, a town in the Lot, south-western France, is a long time campaigner for the rights of British expats abroad. He has been involved in the fight to get the 15-year voting rule lifted that bars long term expats from voting in general elections and he is part of the campaign to try and make sure all British expats can vote in the EU referendum. 

Here he spells out how he believes life will get far more complicated for Brits in France post Brexit:

 

I took advantage of the European Union to retire to live in France.  I celebrate the cementing of European Culture across the nation states.  During my time I have had more irritation with British bureaucratic intransigence than with the French.  What follows is a view of the problems that the generations of British citizens, who might want to live abroad in other EU states, could face in the years to come. 

Jobs

Those seeking to be employed would have to obtain some form of work permit. Unskilled workers would find it extremely hard to establish themselves, if it were at all possible.

Those wishing to set up businesses – perhaps as plumbers or other technical craftsmen would find it near impossible.

(AFP)

Money exchange

There would be no guarantee that State pensions would be paid without change –  British Law – The Pension Act 2014 clause 20 – permits the Minister of DWP to freeze pensions paid to citizens who live abroad. The clause was included despite protests.

All money transfers -The individual EU States could impose a tax on money coming from the UK.  It has happened before. 

The British Government could impose ceilings on money going abroad – it has done so before – Mrs Thatcher removed such a ceiling.

Without the protection afforded by EU regulations nothing is certain.  This will be labelled scare mongering by Brexiteers – but what is certain is the uncertainty. If Brexit should fall, all would depend on negotiations between the UK and the other 27 States, taking years.

Uncertainty will cause the value of the £ to fall as it already has done.

(AFP)

Possibilities of other restrictions

With the lifting of the protection of the EU regulations, each EU State is able to act independently.  This opens the way for restrictions to be imposed on bank accounts of foreigners or on their property or any other discriminatory taxes and laws, without any EU wide protection.

The incipient freedom to open UK based bank accounts and use UK financial institutions would falter.

Medical Care 

(HangInThere/Flickr)

Again it is the EU regulation [883/2004] which establishes the right to provision of health care across the EU.  This is at two levels.

1. The European Health Insurance Card –EHIC .  This is issued by the citizen’s ‘Competent State’ for Social Security to all travellers within the EU and entitles such to any emergency treatment for visitors in another State. This would cease.

2. The treatment for resident pensioners and their dependents.  The Medical care is given as though one is a national of the State where the Citizen is resident but the cost of that is borne by the NHS. – (i.e the Social Security of the ‘Competent State’).

Visa requirements

As happens now with Americans who wish to reside in France, immigrants (for that is what future citizens would be) would be required to demonstrate financial stability. This can affect accompanying spouses and the visits of family and friends. 

Visas often have time limits.

Citizenship

The possibility of voting for and serving on local communal councils will cease.  British citizens will no longer be considered as normal members of the community. This will cause changes of approach at any public department where  public servants operate.

Border checks

(Sergei Vladimiriv/Flickr)

British Citizens would have to pass through NON-EU gates at the EU borders which would be likely to prove onerous with more detailed inspection.

Nationality

British Citizens would cease to be European Citizens protected under EU law. They would be immigrants and foreigners. Britons living abroad could apply for nationality of  the country in which they reside, but it is an expensive and lengthy process and Austria does not permit dual citizenship. Surrendering British Nationality would be foolish.

If you want to vote in the referendum you can register by CLICKING HERE.

Brian Cave is the author of the blog Pensioners Debout. He wrote this article with the help of Frank Jackson, another British expat in France.

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TRAVEL NEWS

EES: Eurostar could limit services over new biometric passport checks

Eurostar could be forced to cut the number of trains when the EU's new biometric border checks (EES) are rolled out in October, the owner of London's St Pancras International Station has warned.

EES: Eurostar could limit services over new biometric passport checks

HS1, the owner of the station and operator of the high-speed line between London and the Channel tunnel, is the latest body to raise concerns over the impact on travel of the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) checks that are set to come into force in October 2024.

The new system which requires citizens from outside the EU or Schengen area to register before entering the zone would lead to long delays and potential capping of services and passenger numbers, HS1 warned.

The company said it needed nearly 50 new EES kiosks to process passengers but the French government had only proposed 24.

In evidence to the European scrutiny select committee, HS1 wrote: “We are told that the proposed kiosks are ‘optional’ as the process can be delivered at the border, but without about 49 additional kiosks located before the current international zone [at St Pancras] there would be unacceptable passenger delays of many hours and potential capping of services.”

With just 24 kiosks, Eurostar would be unable to process all passengers, particularly at the morning peak, and this could “lead to services having to be capped in terms of passenger numbers”, HS1 warned, adding that simple space restrictions at St Pancras station would make the EES difficult to implement.

The EES will register non-EU travellers who do not require a visa (those with residency permits in EU countries do not need to register but will be affected by delays) each time they cross a border in or out of the Schengen area. It will replace the old system of manual passport-stamping.

It will mean facial scans and fingerprints will have to be taken in front of border guards at the first entry into the Schengen area.

Travel bosses have repeatedly raised the alarm about the possible delays this would cause, especially at the UK-France border, which is used by 11 million passengers each year who head to France and other countries across Europe.

Last week The Local reported warnings by officials that the new checks could lead to 14-hour queues for travellers heading to France.

Sir William Cash, Chair of the European Scrutiny Committee, said: “Queues of more than 14 hours; vehicles backed up along major roads; businesses starved of footfall: this evidence paints an alarming picture of the possible risks surrounding the Entry-Exit System’s implementation.

“Clearly, this policy could have a very serious impact, not only for tourists and travel operators but also for local businesses. I implore decision makers on both sides of the Channel to take note of this evidence.”

READ ALSO: What affect will the EES border system have on travel to France?

The Port of Dover has already been struggling with the increased checks required since Brexit and there are fears the situation could be even worse once the EES starts to operate.

Given the possible impacts, the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee last year launched an inquiry calling for views by affected entities with deadline for replies on January 12th 2024.

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