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EUROPEAN UNION

How an EU hoodie became the street cred emblem of German politicians

An EU-themed hoodie designed by a Berlin street-wear label has become the it-garment for German politicians signalling a stance against nationalist forces in European Parliament elections.

How an EU hoodie became the street cred emblem of German politicians
Wolfgang Ischinger, 73, dons the sweatshirt earlier this year. Photo: DPA

At the time of the Brexit vote almost two years ago, Berlin fashion designer David Mallon produced the first few hundred of the dark blue “EUnify” sweaters.

He removed one of the 12 golden stars and stuck it onto the back of the hooded jumper, along with the phone number of the European Union's information hotline.

“A missing star and the symbolism of a broken circle show everyone pretty quickly that something is wrong,” explained Mallon at the Berlin shop of his label Souvenir Official.

“And that starts a dialogue.”

SEE ALSO: The ultimate guide to Germany's top Euro election candidates

A symbol of the times, the hoodie style evokes hip-hop culture, street protests and youthful rebellion, yet the logo sends a deeply pro-democratic and anti-extremist message.

As well as those rallying against Brexit, Mallon's creation soon caught the eye of fashionistas and influencers, popping up on Instagram, at trendy parties, in high school yards, and with cool kids as far away as Asia and New York.

Early this year, it made its breakthrough into the more staid world of global politics when it was donned by none other than Wolfgang Ischinger, 73, organizer of the Munich Security Conference.

At the annual powwow of heads of state, ministers, diplomats and generals, the sartorial Christmas present from Ischinger's grandson got more attention than his dire warnings about the collapse of the post-World War II global order.

'Cool love for Europe'

Since then there has been no stopping a fashion trend that may spark shrieks of delight from European Commission bureaucrats, while the label has added a T-shirt, jogging pants and a waist bag to its line.

Another early adopter was the youthful leader of the liberal, pro-business FDP party, Christian Lindner, who posted a picture of himself in an EU sweater on Instagram.

The caption included a winking smiley face and the message that “For me Europe is not only a continent, but another word for #freedom, #responsibility, diversity, openness and #tolerance”.

Then came Justice Minister Katarina Barley of the centre-left Social Democrats, who has in recent weeks been seen sporting a EUnify jumper on giant campaign posters.

Fashion historian Uta-Christiane Bergemann noted that the sweater allows pro-European candidates, whether from the right or left, “to convey a very direct and quickly understandable message”.

By wearing one, Barley “conveys a sociable and youthful impression”, Bergemann said, while also signalling that “she identifies so strongly with Europe that she will envelop herself in it”.

SEE ALSO: Dexit: One in 10 Germans in favour of leaving the EU

Some designers already dare to dream that the EU flag will become as iconic as the Stars and Stripes or the Union Jack.

“At first we were quite alone, but now there are about 20 creators in this niche, and I think that's very good,” said Mallon, who noted that while the symbol is trendy in Berlin, it is subversive in many English cities.

Inevitably, the hoodie hype has sparked a backlash, with some critics likening it to the inflationary and empty use of the image of Che Guevara, the Marxist revolutionary.

“You can welcome so much cool love for Europe,” wrote one commentator in news weekly Die Zeit.

“Or you can ask whether you can really purchase a political attitude in an online shop with next-day delivery.”

 By Daphne Rousseau

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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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