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This is the first of three instalments of our guide to the European Commission's Guidance Note on the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement for UK citizens in the EU.
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Dear Briton in Europe,
In January, just before the UK left the EU, British in Europe published a series of user-friendly guides to the Withdrawal Agreement to inform our members what our rights would be after the end of the transition period (31/12/2020). These proved highly successful and have been widely shared amongst BiE groups and members (see links below).
Last month the European Commission published a fifty-six-page Guidance Note for the Withdrawal Agreement to ensure its correct implementation by the twenty-seven member states. The document is crucial for us because it gives guidance on how the WA should be applied to us and how our rights will be protected.
Of course, The Guidance Note is not the easiest of documents to follow, unless you enjoy reading EU directives in the bath or have an unbridled passion for EU case law. Fortunately, we can count on BiE's indefatigable Kalba Meadows, backed up by our legal team, to wade through the document, delve into its entrails and come up with a clear and concise summary.
Even with Kalba's help, many of us (like the writer of this newsletter) might baulk at reading a twelve-page booklet entitled Residence Procedures and Rights. We would be very wrong to do so, because this information enables us to know what our rights are and what we must do to protect them.
So, please do the following:
1. Grit your teeth and download the first article here or by clicking on the graphics above and below.
2. Print it out so that you can underline, highlight, annotate and generally mangle it.
3. Keep the document in a safe place to refer to.
4. Share the guide and don't be shy about expounding your newfound knowledge to family and friends.
5. If you have found our publication useful, donate to British in Europe.
We do hope that you are well, despite the continuing difficult circumstances in many EU countries.
With best wishes,
BiE Steering Group
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The contents of our 'guide to the Guidance Note':
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And while you're reading up on your rights, don't forget Kalba's potted guides to the Withdrawal Agreement.
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As well as providing you with top quality information on your citizens' rights, the British in Europe advocacy team puts them on the agenda of politicians in Westminster, Brussels and Strasbourg, as well as in the EU Member States. To help us continue to do this, you can donate to us here.
This is what Hilary Benn says about us:
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In our next newsletter:
- Jeremy Morgan's oral evidence at the Select Committee on Immigration and Social Security Coordination (EU Withdrawal Bill Committee).
- our advocacy at the European Parliament in the run-up to some crucial resolutions.
- the work of some of our BiE groups in the member states.
And more.....
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