Fears over loophole for EU migrants
Brexit blueprint reveals thousands WON’T need a visa (and we could take orders from Euro judges)
‘There are some weasel words’
EU workers could be given the right to live in the UK temporarily under the Government’s controversial Brexit blueprint.
Students, young people and tourists will also get visa-free access to Britain, while it will be easier for firms to move talented staff between countries.
The Government White Paper on quitting the Brussels bloc insisted ‘free movement of people will end as the UK leaves the EU’ – apparently sticking to one of Prime Minister Theresa May’s ‘red lines’. It also promised a replacement that ‘works for all parts of the UK’.
Brexit supporters expressed concern that a pledge to seek ‘reciprocal mobility arrangements’ with the EU in a defined number of areas could leave the door open to thousands of low-skilled workers.
The document also claims direct jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice will end after Brexit – but it calls for Britain to accept ‘ongoing harmonisation’ with EU rules regarding trade.
If there is a dispute between the EU and UK over these rules, the bill suggests this could be referred to the ECJ for an interpretation.
The outline of how the British border will work after the Brexit transition periods ends at the end of 2020 was published for the first time yesterday.
The most contentious aspect was a plan to negotiate a trade deal that permitted EU citizens to come to Britain visa-free for shortterm business reasons.
Officials said this would be in line with existing so- called ‘non-visa national’ arrangements with about 20 other non-EU countries, including the US, Canada and Australia.
It allows certain types of traveller, such as those attending conferences, giving speeches or negotiating and signing deals, to stay in the UK for up to six months without needing to obtain a permit.
Britain is also seeking a deal on allowing intra-corporate transfers that allow UK and EU-based firms to train staff, move them between offices and plants and deploy expertise where it is needed. These arrangements already exist with non-EU countries.
Ministers also want to make it easier for the short-term movement of scientists and researchers, self- employed professionals, employees providing services, as well as investors.
There would be visa-free travel for EU tourists, who made 20million visits to the UK in the year to September 2017, spending £7.8billion. UK tourists made 50million visits to the EU over the same period, spending £24billion.
Students would be able to travel visa-free to attend universities, while young people from the EU would be able to get hospitality jobs for limited periods of time.
Currently, work visas are issued to young people from countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada for two years under the Youth Mobility Scheme.
Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of the Migration Watch thinktank, said: ‘This immigration chapter is in many respects close to what we have suggested but there are some weasel words.
‘It is vital that the UK should not be drawn into a negotiation over numbers. Indeed, it is not enough to control the number of migrant workers from the EU. These numbers must be significantly reduced.’
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘ When the Government goes to discuss, negotiate or confer with the EU, whichever phrase suits, does it believe that they will be prepared to withdraw the rights to benefits for those who come without jobs?’
A Westminster source said: ‘There is a concern that when seeking “reciprocal mobility arrangement” we will come under pressure from the EU for arrangements which will be very appealing to countries that send low-skilled workers, which is not what the British public voted for.’
David Davis’s former aide Stewart Jackson tweeted: ‘This is not in any sense maintaining the red line on ECJ direct jurisdiction as the PM well knows.’
Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab said: ‘ We are going to take back control of our immigration policy. Free movement will end, it is not up for negotiation.
‘ Equally, as countries right around the world do when they engage in free trade negotiations, the issue of visas is often considered alongside it and that’s the approach that we will take.’