The meeting, organised by researchers looking into how Britons in France and Spain are responding to Brexit, was at the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), in Périgueux, following a visit by the British ambassador, Lord Llewellyn, the same day.
Campaign groups urged Britons in France to join them to make sure their voices will be heard during the Brexit negotiations.
On the platform were Roger Boaden from Expats Citizen Rights in EU, John Shaw from Fair Deal for Expats, Brian Robinson from Remain in France Together and Paul Fisher of Liberal Democrats in France.
An 80-strong audience expressed concerns over issues including health, pensions, property, employment and children’s future prospects.
Attendee David Lakin, 58, who has had a second home in France for 30 years but moved permanently in March as an early retiree with wife Louise, said: “We sold our business in the UK to come and live here and Brexit hit us out of the blue. We haven’t got our pension yet and are worried about that as well as healthcare and we want the assurance we can stay.
“We are also worried about freedom of movement of goods. At present we can easily order from the UK, but what will happen about this in the future?”
Another expat, Sian Delcourt, 40, who has children aged 12 and 7, asked: “When our children are older will they have the right to go to public universities in France without paying as UK children living here now do?
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“This is just one of many issues related to young people. There are many working couples who came here looking for a safe life for their children and they want to be reassured they made the right decision.”
As yet these matters remain unresolved, but the groups said they were making sure through meetings and through letters to influential people that expats’ concerns do not go unheard.
Dordogne FBCCI delegate Roger Haigh said the ambassador’s visit also allowed people to express their worries. “He took notes and was very interested but couldn’t – as was only expected – give any concrete answers,” he said.
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The chamber told Lord Llewellyn they are there to help people in hopes that they will not leave and that others will continue to settle and to create businesses in France.
It is hoped the ambassador will return to Périgueux later in the year.
Campaign groups at the Dordogne event were part of an umbrella organisation, British in Europe coalition (britishineurope.org), or BiE, which has around 35,000 members. They told attendees there is strength in numbers and they believe the UK has not yet done enough to reassure its citizens living in the EU27 countries.
Roger Boaden, speaking for Expats Citizens Rights in EU (ecreu.com) said the group has almost 9,000 members from 27 EU states with over half living in France. Their activities have included lobbying MPs and Lords and giving verbal and written evidence to select committees. A survey found that in France 69% of their members are retired and 31% work. Healthcare, pension and travel are their biggest concerns.
Mr Boaden said: “We have been writing letter after letter. There cannot be ‘no deal’. I’m worried about the position of the Conservative government because they could be giving us promises now. We are collecting data from people telling their own stories and have collected a thousand that we will give to MPs to explain the real worries of real people. We want guarantees, on business, on education, pensions with upgrades and on freedom of movement.”
Fair Deal for Expats (fairdealforexpats.com), a smaller group, was started by 30 people living near Bergerac, Dordogne who took action as soon as they heard the referendum result.
Their slogan is: “Individually we are powerless. As a group we are formidable.”
They were among the parties to take the legal action that required the UK government to put Brexit to an MPs’ vote.
“We feel we are beginning to get a voice”, said John Shaw. “It is important because our children depend on us. They are disenfranchised. What we’ve enjoyed for 43 years is being taken away. Our job is to fight for them.”
Remain in France Together (remaininfrance.org) has over 6,000 members. Its Facebook page acts as an outlet for feelings of grief, anger, fear and betrayal, Brian Robinson said. “We are lobbying British and French MPs and giving evidence to select committees to negotiate for the preservation of all the current rights of UK citizens in the EU. We feel we are dealing with a government disinterested in our well-being.”
Leader of the new French branch of the Liberal Democrats (libdemsinfrance.fr), Paul Fisher only joined the party in June last year, as a direct result of Brexit. They now have 500 members but while not as large as Conservative or Labour representation in France he claims his party is doing the most to fight for UK citizens’ rights.
Another BiE group with many members in France has been named one of the winners of 2017’s European Citizen’s Prize, given annually by the EU Parliament to people and bodies who have helped European integration.
Brexpats – Hear our Voice was nominated by British Green MEP Jean Lambert.
Member Jan Glover said: “We feel honoured. This award represents our hard work to keep Britain in the EU and representing both EU27 and UK citizens to protect their rights.”
