Spain Agrees To Secure Rights for Expats

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Spain Agrees To Secure Rights for Expats – Spain’s EU Secretary agrees “in principle” to a reciprocal agreement

Spain Agrees To Secure Rights for Expats

The 300,000 registered Brits living in Spain have received positive news today from the Spanish EU Secretary. Jorge Toledo said: “We are broadly in favour of retaining a reciprocal agreement on questions like healthcare and freedom of movement. As regards to the rights of EU citizens in the UK and the rights of UK citizens in the EU, Spain is in favour of the amplest respect of these rights in the future but the modalities and conditions will and should be a matter of negotiation.”

The statement is good news for British Prime Minister Theresa May. She has been keen to secure a commitment from EU countries to protect the rights of British expats. May is going to trigger article 50 on the 29th March, formally beginning the process of removing Great Britain from the European Union.

Europeans In Britain

Theresa May has so far refused to commit to protecting the rights of Europeans living and working in the UK. This is unlikely to happen until European countries offer the same protections to British nationals living in Europe. Whilst the statement by Jorge Toledo isn’t a promise, political commentators describe it as a big step towards a mutually beneficial agreement between Spain and Great Britain.

Written by Dave James

Published: 20.03.2017