UK: Potential Deal for EU Expats to Continue Living in the UK

December 14, 2016

Many Europeans are set to be granted the right to carry on living in the UK post-Brexit, as it has been reported that most EU countries are likely to ensure “reciprocal rights” with the UK.

Senior UK government figures have informed business leaders, only a few EU member states have yet to agree on a reciprocal deal to ensure British citizens can continue living in the EU.

It has been indicated that no deals have yet been made, but where there is an informal understanding, this might lead to a deal which will probably be discussed at the EU summit in Brussels next month.  Mr David Davis, the UK Secretary of State for Brexit, has travelled to Brussels in an attempt to help “lay the groundwork” for negotiations before Britain formally starts the Brexit process.

It is suggested that there are an estimated 3.3million EU nationals living in Britain, and approximately 1.2 million Britons living within the other 27 EU member states.
The most EU nationals living in the UK are Polish nationals (883,000) followed by Germany nationals (297,000), and Romanian nationals with 229,000.
Furthermore, the EU countries in which the most Britons are living in are Spain (309,000), Ireland (255,000) and France (185,000).

Westminster sources said, in recent months Mrs May had already initiated talks with other leaders regarding the issue of mutual rights for Britons overseas and EU nationals in this country. The Prime Minister Theresa May has not confirmed these matters as she believes that it could damage the UK”s negotiating positions.  However, in the past week she has highlighted that a deal assuring the rights of EU nationals to remain in the UK after Brexit will be decided quickly.

The Government has been clear that it wants to see this issue resolved, as long as it can be completed by both sides.

If you have concerns as an EU citizen living in the UK, or a British citizen living in Europe post-Brexit, please contact us at [email protected].