In this issue of Brexit Watch… 🗞️
- This week
- News
- Opinion & Analysis
- News & views from the EU
- EU News Blast: vaccines, rights, equalities
- Stories of Brexit Action Day!
- Member Briefing: Equality & Citizens’ Rights
- Farming: How Brexit affects what I eat and what I see
- Istanbul Convention
- Catch up: Europe Day 2021
This week 📰
Shocking evidence of abuses suffered by EU citizens emerged this week, as it was reported that some were being detained and deported upon arrival in the UK. One woman, 25, from Spain said she was “still in shock” after being detained for three days following her arrival at Gatwick. Despite rules allowing non-visa holders to attend job interviews in the UK, they are among those being detained in immigration detention centres such as Yarl’s Wood and Colnbrook. Another woman, 24, from Italy was detained without access to her phone or passport. Such abuses by Home Office and Border Force personnel have long been inflicted on non-citizen residents from outside the EU; with the Settled Status application deadline rapidly approaching, EU citizens are beginning to be sucked into the orbit of the government’s ‘hostile environment’ immigration doctrine.
A survey of EU citizens resident in the UK revealed that around half do not trust the UK government to treat them equally, while one in ten are considering leaving the UK. Research by the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA), set up under the Withdrawal Agreement, showed that significant numbers were concerned about the lack of physical proof of residency status; the IMA is considering legal action over the physical documentation issue. Seven per cent of those spoken to cited the Windrush scandal, with one saying that they feared being treated as “second class” in post-Brexit Britain. This follows news that 320,000 applications for Settled Status have yet to be processed by the Home Office.
UK government minister David Frost returned from a visit to Northern Ireland declaring that the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Withdrawal Agreement was “unsustainable” as it stands. Saying that the UK would “consider all our options”, his intervention raises tensions in ongoing discussions about the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Brexit deal. A joint statement released by negotiators hinted at fundamental disagreements between both sides over the interpretation of each’s obligations to the other in international law. Speaking at a European Movement members’ briefing on Wednesday evening, Head of Campaigns at the3million Luke Piper voiced his concern that the UK would allow this dispute to impact its treatment of EU citizens’ rights, with potentially damaging consequences.
The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) revealed that UK government ministers have made false statements when claiming that visa-free tours of the EU are out of the question for UK musicians. The government has claimed that getting visa-free tours would require a wholesale renegotiation of the Brexit deal, losing ‘control’ of borders in a move that would not be legally binding for EU member states. Each of the government’s claims is shown to be untrue. Deborah Annetts, the ISM’s chief executive, said that the research shows “it is entirely possible for the government to create an agreement” to prevent the UK music sector from disaster, and accused the government of lacking “political will”. The ISM, Musicians’ Union, Equity, and BECTU are among trade unions and other organisations calling for a visa wavier agreement with the EU to address the crisis. The European Movement supported the calls in our recent Stories of Brexit report.
News 🇬🇧 🇪🇺
Visa-free touring possible in 17 EU countries post-Brexit, says Dowden [Evening Standard]
‘False claims’ made by ministers refusing to rescue visa-free music tours of EU, lawyers say [The Independent]
EU citizens arriving in UK being locked up and expelled [The Guardian]
EU nationals in the UK don’t trust government bodies, watchdog says [Politico Europe]
Britain warns EU that Northern Ireland protocol unsustainable [The Guardian]
Thousands of Scots face severe poverty after Brexit and Covid [The Times]
Minister Refuses To Apologise To Shellfish Industry For Post-Brexit Trade Collapse [Politics Home]
Opinion & Analysis 🗣️
The Observer view on Boris Johnson’s role in the fishing row [The Observer editorial]
The deep roots of Labour’s red wall decline [Peter Kellner for the New European]
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE EU… 🇪🇺
News: Israeli-Palestinian violence must ‘stop immediately’: EU [EURACTIV]
Views: Women’s rights: Sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention [EU ministers for EURACTIV]
EU News blast: Vaccines, Rights, & Equalities 🫂 🇪🇺 💉
1
The EU puts the ball in the USA’s court on vaccine patents
The EU further responded to the USA’s new stance on lifting vaccine patents to increase production worldwide, by calling on the Biden administration to flesh out its plans. The reaction from EU members was mixed, but more negative than positive; both the EU and US had previously rejected the idea of a TRIPS (Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights) waiver to remove some intellectual property protections at the World Trade Organization (WTO). Speaking last Saturday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel argued that the EU had exported most of its jabs already and indicated that it expected more exports from the US especially of key vaccine ingredients. French President Emmanuel Macron equally asserted that while debate on the issue was “a very good idea” he remained sceptical that patent waivers would be very effective. The World Health Organization, India and South Africa have all called for a patent waiver.
2
Poland and Hungary conspire to remove gender equality provisions from social summit
Reuters reported that Poland and Hungary conspired to remove references to “gender equality” in a joint statement of EU member states published on the occasion of the Porto Social Summit, which took place last weekend. An early draft of the statement, seen on Friday 7th May, had contained commitments to “promote gender equality” as part of commitments to uphold social rights. However, the final version omitted to mention this, with EU diplomats briefing that the two countries had lobbied for significantly vaguer wording. The two countries’ national governments make much of promoting ‘traditional’ values on their domestic political scene.
3
A bill to decriminalise abortion is tabled in Malta
On Wednesday, a historic bill was tabled in Malta’s parliament which would decriminalise abortion. Malta is currently the only EU member state with a total ban on abortion, although various states have made well-documented efforts to restrict access to medical abortions in recent years. The bill was submitted by independent MP Marlene Farrugia, who said that “safeguarding women’s rights does not come through the threat of putting them in prison.” The bill will have trouble getting through Malta’s political system, as both major political parties are openly anti-abortion. The governing Labour Party did however offer some indication that the matter could be heard, with Environment Minister saying that their party would be ready to discuss it.Stories of Brexit Action Day!
On Friday 21st May (next Friday!) the European Movement is holding our Stories of Brexit Action Day.
This is your opportunity to make your MP hear the real stories of Brexit – how the Brexit deal has harmed so many from all different spheres of life.Will you tell them about how EU citizens need real support, physical proof of residency, and above all certainty that their rights will be respected? Will you tell them about how important it is that musicians and creatives are able to work around Europe? Will you tell them how important it is that we rejoin the historic Erasmus+ programme for our future?
Whatever you care about – we need you to make your MP listen. This is your chance to sit down with your MP and show how crucial it is that the government takes action now.
Click here to sign up and take part in our Action Day on Friday 21stMay – there is something for everyone!
Member Briefing: Equality & Citizens’ Rights with Equally Ours and the3million
On Wednesday, we were joined by experts and campaigners from Equally Ours, the equalities and rights group, and the3million, a group fighting for the rights of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit for an exclusive members’ briefing.
The experts explained why it is so crucial that the government act now to safeguard the rights of EU citizens and make sure that the post-Brexit UK Shared Prosperity Fund addresses social inequalities head on. Click below to watch the event back on YouTube!
Members’ Briefing Event with Equally Ours & the3million – YouTube
Farming: How Brexit affects what I eat and what I see
On Tuesday 18th May at 7pm, East Midlands European Movement is inviting all to a discussion of the impact of Brexit on farming and agriculture.
The question they’ll be asking: is Brexit good for farmers and our food production?
With the lower pound farmers’ incomes are nominally even higher – when they are selling. But come autumn the lower pound will mean higher prices to buy fertilisers, food fodder and seeds.
And where do future bilateral trade deals come into it? How will our food supply shift and change in the months ahead?
To discuss all this, East Midlands European Movement is joined by:
- Liz Webster, farmer and founder of Save British Farming
- Andrew Brown, farmer, environmentalist, and former Chair of East Midlands NFU
Click here to attend the meeting on Tuesday 18th May at 7pm!
You can view other upcoming European Movement events by clicking the button below or navigating to our website.
Istanbul Convention at 10
The Istanbul Convention of the Council of Europe – the Council’s convention on the protection and expansion of women’s rights – turned ten years old this week.
It opened for signature on 11th May 2011 in Istanbul, and by 2019 had gained 45 signatories. It has been described as the first legally binding instrument to define and address gender-based violence in international law. It also created an international monitoring body, the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), which consists of representatives from signatory nations.
Click the image above to watch a short film on the Istanbul Convention, from the Council of Europe.
Criticism of the Convention has largely come from ultraconservative and nationalist groups, which have attempted to reframe the instrument as something alien to many in parts of Europe. Unfortunately, these allegations have found purchase in many countries, with nations including Slovakia, Bulgaria, Hungary and Poland either withdrawing from the Convention or signalling their desire to do so.
Most recently, in March 2021 Turkey provoked protest among opposition parties, women’s rights groups, and student bodies by indicating it would seek to leave the Convention that bears its name. Shamefully, the UK despite signing the Convention has not ratified it or formally entered it into force.
In the face of these setbacks, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that the Istanbul Convention is respected both in spirit and in effect across Europe, including in the UK.
You can read more about the Istanbul Convention on its tenth anniversary by clicking here.
Catch up: Europe Day 2021
Sunday 9th May was Europe Day 2021 – and loads of our members and activists took the opportunity to celebrate everything the European project has achieved in over 70 years!
Leeds for Europe held a great Europe Day picnic…
While our friends at Wales for Europe/Cymru Dros Ewrop shared this incredible message from Swansea for EU and EEA residents of the UK…
In addition, we held our livestream event with European Movement International on Monday with thousands of attendees. It featured speakers including Julius Lajtha, President of the Young European Movement, former MEPs Molly Scott Cato and Jude Kirton-Darling, and the Secretary General of European Movement International Petros Fassoulas.
You can watch the event back on Facebook here and on YouTube here for some inspiration!
I hope you enjoyed this week’s briefing… 🌟
…is there something you would quite like to see in future editions?
I’m always looking at other ways to improve this briefing, so let me know what you liked and what I could be doing better.
Best wishes,
Matthew
European Movement UK
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