The members of the British in Europe coalition groups also expressed anger about ongoing lack of any ‘ring-fencing’ of British expatriates’ rights in the event of a no-deal, during a meeting in Paris with junior Brexit Minister Robin Walker and British ambassador Lord Ed Llewllyn.
However one campaigner, Paul Hearn of Brexpats – Hear Our Voice, said it was positive to hear the minister was also meeting with his French counterparts to discuss Britons’ rights yesterday as part of a tour of European capitals.
“He has been talking to the relevant ministers about what the UK government would like them to be pushing along to ensure systems for UK citizens gaining residency rights.
“It was positive to hear that message but good also to have the chance to put over our own feelings about the way the UK government have demonstrated their so-called commitment to all UK citizens so far.”
“The key thing we told him was that we were appalled at the absence of any mention of UK citizens in the EU in Theresa May’s speech. He didn’t try to excuse it, but said we can only talk about things in the UK’s control. However I said I thought it was a major and disgraceful omission not to mention us specifically.”
Another BHOV campaigner who attended, Jan Glover, added: “We said that we feel forgotten. At the end of the day the British government has a responsibility for all of their citizens – which is what we are.”
The campaigners also told the minister there are key areas where the UK is not yet stating what its policy is, including whether they can guarantee that if some Britons are forced back to the UK due to Brexit – “because of financial, emotional or family problems” – will they have immediate access to all the usual rights of UK citizens living in the UK, including the NHS and social security, without having to prove ‘habitual residence’.
“I said I think as well there should be some specific assistance for them,” said Mr Hearn. “He appeared to take a genuine interest in our concerns and said he had also been himself active and pushing for our rights in his role at DEXEU.”
Mr Hearn added the campaigners told the minister that they are “sick and tired” of hearing that “everything is agreed for citizens’ rights”. “We made the point forcibly again that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed and it is very distressing for us.”
They emphasised that the UK has not taken steps to ‘ring-fence’ the rights agreed for Britons in the EU countries in the draft withdrawal agreement, meaning Britons in the EU still feel like “bargaining chips”.
What is more so far none of the contingency planning papers released by the UK government about the no-deal scenario has dealt with expat rights (such as maintaining state pension uprating and healthcare in the EU for British expatriate pensioners). In contrast, the UK has put the so-called “settled status” of EU expatriates living in Britain before Brexit into domestic UK law and has said their rights in the UK will remain with or without a deal.
Ms Glover said the meeting did not cover detail of no-deal scenarios, partly “because Mr Walker was toeing the party line, that they have every confidence there will be deal”.
However the campaigners also said that even if the deal goes ahead many Britons will be unable to “live our lives as before”, as many rely on onward free movement to live and work across the EU, which is not guaranteed by the deal.
The problem of the ‘15-year rule’ was also addressed. If there is a snap election or referendum, then long-term expatriates are likely to be excluded again because the voting limit has not be removed. Mr Walker referred to the private member’s bill on the subject that is currently going through parliament – “but we all know it will not get through in time to enfranchise more people,” Mr Hearn said.
Also at the meeting a representative of British Community Committee of France stated their dissatisfaction that they have never so far been granted a meeting with the lead Brexit minister – Dominic Raab or previously David Davis.
The campaigners also asked if the UK will consider in future paying travel expenses to attend DEXEU and embassy meetings, as they are spending hundreds of euros on plane tickets to represent the community.
BHOV presented the minister and ambassador copies of In Limbo Too (available from amazon.fr) which contains testimonies of Britons in the EU. The book (a follow-up to the previous In Limbo, about EU citizens in the UK) is having an official launch in Brussels, on October 10, which MEPs will attend.
British in Europe are also gearing up to join the People’s Vote march in London on October 20, and or a lobbying exercise in Westminster on November 5, which they are calling the Last Mile.
Asked to comment on yesterday's meeting, a spokeswoman for the British embassy said: "It was a good meeting and we will continue with more meetings with British expatriates."
She also provided a statement from Mr Walker, who said: “We know that citizens' rights is a source of concern for British citizens across Europe. I have met with many groups during foreign visits and I know the ambassador Ed Llewellyn and his team have held over 20 meetings across France in recent months to keep British citizens up to date and feed concerns back to London.
"The PM has been clear, in the event of no deal we will respect rights of the 3 million EU citizens in the UK.
"It is now time for member states to offer the same reassurance to UK nationals in their countries. This is a point I have pressed home with the French government.”
The embassy advises Britons consult their top 10 questions at this link.
Connexion asked if DEXEU could tell us if they will be releasing no-deal contingency planning information about expatriates' rights such as pensions and healthcare, however they said they had nothing to add.
