HEALTHPLAN MAGAZINE

British people living in Spain and across the EU are growing increasingly concerned of the outstanding issues yet to be confirmed by Brexit. The EU has recently announced that citizen rights for British expats and EU citizens in Britain will be extended for the transition period of Brexit. This transition period will start from the 29th March 2019, the official Brexit day and finish on the 31st December 2020. However, the rights of citizens after the transition period have yet to be decided.

The recent transition period announcement made it clear that EU citizens arriving to the UK during the transition will have the same rights as those who came before Brexit. It also confirms that British citizens moving to the EU will have the same rights and guarantees as people who have already made the move. This is a dramatic turnaround as Theresa May initially said those moving in the transition period would not enjoy the same rights.

What Happens After the Transition Period?

Despite the announcement being considered a success, people are becoming increasingly anxious about the post-transition future. For the 1.2 million British expats, there is still no certainty for their future. In fact, people are angry that cheddar cheese will have more freedom of movement than British citizens in the EU after Brexit as current plans stand.

The anger is mounting as until everything is decided, there is no decision at all that is set in stone. There is no decision on future cross-border working rights or freedom of movement which can leave Britons landlocked in the country they live. With 4.6 million people directly affected by Brexit, time is running out for decisions to be made, and patience is certainly wearing thin within the expat communities.