EEA Nationals (Brexit)
The Home Office published an update on the negotiations between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Both sides agreed that the rights of cross border workers should be protected.
On economic rights, they have confirmed the right of EU citizens to set up and manage a business in the UK, and the same applies to British citizens in their Member State of residence.
These points of agreement are good news but the discussions also highlighted where more work is needed. The next round of negotiations in September will build on progress to date with a view to reaching a future agreement on citizens’ rights.
You can visit the Home Office website at Status of EU citizens in the UK: what you need to know for further details about the government’s proposal to protect the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU published on 26 June 2017. It contained these commitments:
- EU citizens with settled status will continue be treated as if they were UK nationals for education, healthcare, benefits, pensions and social housing after the UK leaves the EU.
- EU citizen currently in the UK lawfully will not be asked to leave at the point the UK leave the EU. EU citizens will have at least two years to regularise their status.
- The process to apply for settled status will be streamlined and user friendly, including for those who already hold a permanent residence document under current free movement rules. They expect the system to be up and running in 2018.
For now, the rights of EU citizens have not changed. As the negotiations in Brussels progress, our advice to EU is to apply for documentation confirming your status now.
If you have questions about your immigration status or need advice on the matter, please feel free to contact our senior solicitor Pam Barar or our immigration team.
