UK MPs Discuss Bermudians Movement In EU
The impact of Brexit on Bermudians freedom of movement in the European Union was recently discussed in UK Parliament, with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Robin Walker saying the “post-exit immigration rules that apply to British nationals in the EU will be the subject of negotiations, as will the detail of the future relationship between the Overseas Territories and the EU.”
Shadow Minister Asks Question About Bermuda In Parliament
Shadow Minister [Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs] Catherine West asked the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union what the UK Government’s policy is on “allowing Bermuda to maintain freedom of movement in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.”
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union’s Response
In response, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union Robin Walker said, “The majority of Bermudian citizens are entitled to British citizenship under the British Overseas Territories Act 2002 and as EU citizens can exercise free movement rights in the EU. This is the case for most British Overseas Territory Citizens.
“The post-exit immigration rules that apply to British nationals in the EU will be the subject of negotiations, as will the detail of the future relationship between the Overseas Territories and the EU.
“The Government has committed to fully involving the Overseas Territories in discussions on EU exit to ensure their interests are taken into account. UK Ministers and leaders of the Overseas Territories have committed to taking forward future engagement through the creation of the UK – Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council [JMC] on European Negotiations.
“The JMC met for the first time on 6-7 February 2017, chaired jointly by Robin Walker, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, and Foreign Office Minister Baroness Anelay and discussed a range of issues of interest to the Overseas Territories.”
Bermudians position with respect to the EU is not as straight forward as the statement would indicate.
For many EU countries yes, the description is correct, the Bermudian passport is accepted just as a UK passport. However, for some countries – e.g. Italy and I believe Spain, a Bermuda passport is not enough for free entry and a visa is required.
It has always escaped me why – when Paula Cox was Finance Minister – she sadly failed to tackle this disparity even while negotiating various memorandums of agreements with regard to the exchange of tax information with Italy and other countries. Her inaction on Bermudians’ freedom of movement within the EU really was a lost opportunity.
It is understood that Government House has subsequently sought to address this disparity, but Brexit now seems to have overtaken any progress. Despite Mrs May’s apparent reluctance to address matters relating to freedom of movement, some sense will prevail and British nationals AND British Overseas Territory Citizens – including Bermudians – will eventually be allowed free access throughout all of the EU.
What makes you think some “sense will prevail”? And what makes you think the EU will allow British Nationals and British OTCs, including Bermudians free access throughout the EU?
Isn’t that the point of Brexit, GB not wanting free movement into their country so why would the EU want to now give the Brits free movement into the EU? The divorce is done and there really is no going back.
Unfortunately, for Bermudians, we did not even get to vote on the deal! The British Government never involved the Overseas Territories in discussions on EU exit to ensure their interests were taken into account. We are a mere colony with no say!
I don’t understand why anyone from the PLP would or should care about Bermudian free movement in EU after brexit. Their party made it clear that they want independence from UK, so whether their got their wish of separation from UK or Brexit going through, free movement in EU for Bermuda is a dead dream of days past.
Good thing we had a vote… oh… no… wait. Nevermind.
If Bermuda offered freedom of movement and labour for EU citizens then you probably would have been able to. I think the leave percentage would have been even here.
Exactly. If we want the benefits of EU citizenship, we should be prepared to accept the costs.
It is quite obvious there are some of you who do not have a problem being colonized to this day. “Overseas Territories” is a deceptive term for colonization to make it sound pleasing to the masses.
oh so you want to move about other Countries without problems from their Authorities but you want to control who comes to Bermuda