Government accused of ignoring Britons' rights in Europe after Br... https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/03/government-a...

Government accused of ignoring Britons'

rights in Europe after Brexit
Group representing 32,000 Britons in Europe says no officials have contacted them,
despite claims made in policy papers

British residents in Germany protest in Berlin. Photograph: Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images

Lisa O'Carroll Brexit correspondent

Friday 3 March 2017 12.31GMT

The government has been accused of misleading parliament over eorts to protect the
rights of British nationals already settled in Europe after Brexit.

A coalition of 12 groups representing 32,000 Britons living across Europe said the
government had not been in touch with any of them despite claims ocials had
engaged with expatriate groups on the issue.

They said they had had no response to a letter they sent to David Davis, the Brexit
secretary, on 3 February asking his department to consult them.

In the eight months since the referendum, no one from the Department for Exiting the
European Union [DExEU] has been in touch with Expat Citizen Rights in EU (Ecreu), now
probably the biggest such organisation in Europe. We are also part of a coalition of 12

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similar groups in the EU and not one has ever been consulted, said Dave Spokes, one of
the founders of Ecreu.

It does appear that in signing the white paper and presenting it to MPs, the prime
minister and Mr Davies have misled parliament, he said, speaking on behalf of the
coalition, which includes representatives of Britons living in Spain, France, Germany,
Italy, Luxembourg and Belgium.

The government has continued to reject calls for a unilateral deal guaranteeing the rights
of EU citizens in the UK, arguing it cannot do this until a reciprocal deal is agreed for
British nationals in the EU.

The coalition has been the most high-prole campaign body seeking a deal on the rights
of Britons settled in the EU including the 190,000 UK pensioners living in Spain,
France, Ireland and Cyprus.

They have given evidence to the Brexit select committee, chaired by Labours Hilary
Benn, and to the House of Lords summer investigation into the impact of Brexit, but
Spokes said there had been no contact from any cabinet oce.

The government claimed in its policy paper on exiting the EU in February that securing
the status of, and providing certainty to, EU nationals already in the UK and to UK
nationals in the EU is one of this governments early priorities for the forthcoming
negotiations to this end, we have engaged a range of stakeholders, including
expatriate groups, to ensure we understand the priorities of UK nationals living in EU
countries.

Roger Boaden, a former election manager for Margaret Thatcher and one of the founders
of Ecreu, told Davis in the 3 February letter he was surprised to read that claim.

He pointed out that Ecreu was trying to engage with the government but was not getting
any response. He wrote: I would therefore imagine you are aware of our group, so I am
wondering why you have not been in touch to engage with us. When will you work
closely with us?

A spokesperson for DExEU said: The government has been clear that we want to secure
the status of British citizens currently living and working in European member states, in
the same way that we want to secure the status of EU nationals already living here.

We are working with our embassies across the EU to listen to any concerns and ensure
that UK expats are kept up to date on the governments position. This work has been
particularly sustained in countries with large British expatriate populations, such as
France and Spain. In Spain alone, there have been more than 20 meetings between the
embassy and expatriates.

Sue Wilson, of Bremain in Spain, one of the 12 groups in Europe trying to get the
attention of the government, said DExEU had not been in touch. A meeting with the
embassy could be a meeting of an individual with the embassy. They dont specify that
they met with expatriate groups, she said.

Another, the Guardians contributing editor and author Giles Tremlett, said DExEU

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ocials were scheduled to attend a

meeting of Britons in Mijas last Friday but
failed to turn up.

More
EU referendum and Brexit
European Union/David Davis/Foreign policy/Article 50/
Europe/news

David Davis, secretary of state for exiting the EU. Photograph:

EPA

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