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BREXIT

Could Britons living in France lose right to move freely to another EU country?

As three days of tense Brexit negotiations between the UK and the EU come to an end there are reports of a major disagreement which could lead to Britons already living in France being restricted from moving to another EU member state after Brexit.

Could Britons living in France lose right to move freely to another EU country?
Photo: AFP

Brits living in France could face the prospect of being unable to move freely to another EU member state after Brexit, after fraught talks revealed disagreements between London and Brussels.

Negotiators from the EU and the UK are concluding three-and-a-half days of tough talks in Brussels that are aimed at thrashing out a deal on Brexit.

One of the major sticking points is the rights of the three million EU nationals living in the UK and those of British nationals living in the EU.

According to the Guardian newspaper British officials raised the issue of UK citizens being able to move freely around the EU after Brexit.

EU officials then made it clear it would not allow this freedom of movement unless there was a reciprocal agreement that meant French, German, Spanish and other EU citizens living in Britain were able to leave the country but then freely return at a later date if they desire.

The UK appears reluctant to allow that to happen.

There are around 1.2 million British citizens living through the EU, including between 150,000 and 200,000 in France.

Unless the two sides reach an agreement then those Brits living in France wouldn't be able to freely move to Germany or Spain for example as they have been able to up to now.

“We would start from the assumption that in order to maintain the right of EU citizens to move around the EU 27 this would require the UK to reciprocate by allowing EU citizens to continue moving around freely,” a senior EU official was quoted as saying in the Guardian.

Ensuring the rights of EU and British citizens is a top priority for both sides, but it has also proved to be one of the major sources of tension along with the so-called “divorce bill”.

Last month UK Prime Minister Theresa May revealed her offer to EU citizens after Brexit, which would allow those who arrive lawfully before Brexit the chance to build up same rights as British citizens.

However her pledge was derided by both EU leaders and EU citizens living in the UK. 

Their message to May was “you're going to have to do better than that”.

Negotiations are set to run through the summer.

READ ALSO:

Brits living in France tell UK parliament: 'You must act now to protect us'

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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