@britishineurope
The largest coalition group of UK citizens in EU27/EEA/Switzerland campaigning for citizens' rights, focussing on voting rights & the implementation of the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement www.britishineurope.org
Mike Tapp can be as dismissive and disrespectful as he likes but it won’t resolve the problem or the resentment that many UK dual nationals feel about this policy change, the lack of time we have to respond and the dearth of communication on the topic to the people it most impacts.
BIE has been trying to engage with the Home Office on this topic for a year. We wrote to SoS Yvette Cooper last May and still have not received a written reply. Two recent calls with officials have not got us a grace period so we’ve sent another letter with the3million and ILPA bit.ly/4cOcZ3Q
Our EU-funded Inform, Connect, Empower, project on the EU Charter and Withdrawal Agreement rights is now finished. Read about what we achieved and check out our toolkit for Charter and WA Rights here bit.ly/47x6wWF
A timely question. We raised the funding issue when we met with the UK Europe minister on 6 May 2025. His reply indicated that there had been no change in UK government policy since the last election. We will continue to raise it but for now we are once again dependent on donations.
Picture shows a group of volunteers at a training event on the EU Charter and WA in Berlin, October 2024
What has it been like to participate in the EU-funded Inform, Connect, Empower project as a volunteer advocate?
We asked our VAs to tell us how it helped them deepen their expert knowledge of the WA and EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Watch the video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jihh...
As part of our toolbox for rights we asked our volunteer advocates to discuss the types of cases and issues that arose, the WA and Charter articles that were most relevant in their work, and outcomes. See what they had to say in the video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZBp...
During the ICE (Inform, Connect, Empower) project volunteer advocates from 11 EU states (AT, BE, CZ, DE, DK, EL, ES, LU, HU, MT, SE) supported hundreds of UK citizens living in the EU to access & defend their rights under the Withdrawal Agreement & the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
We put out a statement just in case any UK policymakers are interested in knowing our thoughts on the matter bsky.app/profile/brit...
Backed up by our practical experience in the WA negotiations and cases we have dealt with across the 11 country groups involved in the project, it is the first legal report of its kind focusing on WA implementation for the 1.2 million UK WA beneficiaries in the EU and issues that have arisen.
As part of our EU-funded Inform, Connect, Empower project on the implementation of the #WithdrawalAgreement and EU Charter of Fundamental rights for UK citizens in the EU we have drafted a comprehensive legal report on implementation. bit.ly/49kAwYr
Thank you - you beat us to it!
Once again we find ourselves responding to attacks on fundamental rights and basic decency from UK political parties. Once again we are stunned at how far-right racist policies and arguments are now being mainstreamed in the UK.
Read our statement bit.ly/48K3TmK
Our EU-funded ICE (Inform, Connect, Empower) project is ending. We’d like to hear from the UK Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary community living in the EU about your thoughts on the project so please grab a cuppa and take five minutes to complete it bit.ly/49bF6Ik Deadline midnight CET on 24.10.2025
And see our recommendations for post 12 October 2025 travel. As ever, if you are experiencing problems let us know at info@britishineurope.org and safe travels
And here
The EC Commission has issued guidance on the roll-out for UK WA beneficiaries. Follow the instructions here to find it
The EU entry exit system (EES) starts on 12 October 2025. If you are a UK Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary in the EU you will be exempt from EES registration when leaving or entering the Schengen zone if you have the correct documents. Check out our blog for info bit.ly/48RHfZA
Thank you Tanya!
Read the report and give us your feedback on how WA implementation is going for you five years after the UK left the EU.
As ever, if you have a query about your WA rights contact us at info@britishineurope.org
bit.ly/4nEVXIe
We also asked UK WA beneficiaries in the EU about their awareness of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and how it could help them to access your WA rights and find remedies where their rights may have been breached. Most were well informed but again, there were gaps in knowledge
Brexit stripped 1.2 million UK citizens in the EU of fundamental rights. BIE has argued since the start of implementation for more information and awareness campaigns for WA beneficiaries in the EU about their rights. This is an obligation for member states under Article 37 of the WA.
Worryingly, 40% of respondents were unclear on their future pension rights as WA beneficiaries
There are some gaps in knowledge that may be impacting access to rights under the Withdrawal Agreement. Awareness of rights to social security is a concern
Last year over 2000 UK Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries filled out a survey for the BIE ICE project on their experience of the implementation of the WA as beneficiaries in the EU. We have now published a report on the findings. Generally, implementation is going well but
bit.ly/4nEVXIe
And if you have any queries or need help accessing any of your Withdrawal Agreement rights as a UK citizen or family member living in the EU email us at info@britishineurope.org
And if you appreciate our work and would like to make a donation you can do so via our donate button www.britishineurope.org/collect/desc...
