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This agreement applies to all relations that have been established between the European Union and the United Kingdom since the first day of this year. It is this detail that makes the difference for those who have already worked and lived in the UK and for those who want to do it now, for example.
Antenna 1 analyzed with José Luís Pacheco, head of the secretariat of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs of the European Parliament, some of the main issues that arise from now on.
1 – The situation of Europeans who work or want to work in the United Kingdom
For citizens who are already in the UK and have applied for permanent resident or pre-resident status, there will be no changes, because their rights were safeguarded by the withdrawal agreement that came into force a year ago.
For now, 328 thousand Portuguese have applied for the right of residence in the United Kingdom. A right that they must obtain, ultimately, until June of this year, date from which, without this status, they will find themselves in an irregular situation in the country.
The agreement reached now does not refer to specific rules for Europeans who now want to go to work or live in the UK. London did not accept that there was an understanding for the future on this issue.
In this sense, whoever wants to go to work in the United Kingdom will apply the emigration rules in that territory.
Among other things, it will be necessary to obtain a visa while in the country of origin. The worker must prove that he has a job offer and that he has the necessary qualifications to perform the functions he will perform. It will also be necessary to prove that you will receive a salary compatible with the country’s salary scales.
2 – European students’ access to education in the UK
The UK has decided to withdraw from the Erasmus program. He explained why there are more European students in the country than British students in Europe. Prime Minister Boris Johnson found it difficult to bear, financially, maintaining this partnership.
However, Erasmus students who are already in British territory under this program will be able to continue until the end of the exchange because these trips and stays have already been duly authorized and financed by the previous community budget, the last of which the United Kingdom was part. . .
London now wants to create its own student exchange program, so you will have to wait for the rules and conditions.
For European students participating in the Erasmus exchange program, the UK was the fourth most requested destination.
From now on, Europeans who want to go to study in the United Kingdom, in addition to through an exchange program, must obtain a visa in their country of origin to show that they have a place at the university they intend to attend, who speak the English language. and that they have the means of subsistence. It is that studying in the United Kingdom will become more expensive.
If until now any European student on British soil could not be discriminated against and was treated as a citizen of the Union with the same rights and the same financial burden as a British citizen, from January of this year they will have to pay the fees and costs. from a third-country national, which in most cases can mean double what you have paid so far
3 – European fishermen’s access to UK waters
It was one of the areas that most divided the two parties with the European Union to defend the right of access of European fishermen to British waters as one of the counterparts of access, without quotas and without customs fees, from the United Kingdom to the market of 450 million consumers. of the 27.
In the agreement now in force, it is established that European fishermen will gradually lose, in five years, 25 percent of the fishing quotas in British waters. After these five years, the capture possibilities will be negotiated year after year.
If it is a fact that European fishermen fish more in the UK than British fishermen in Europe, it is also true that London exports around 2/3 of the fishery products it produces to the European Union market.
The issue of fishing was important, not because of the economic value it represents – about 700 million euros a year when the total value of trade between the two parties is 700,000 million – but because of the importance it has for European coastal communities . .
Portugal is not one of the European Union countries with the highest fishing activity in UK waters. The Minister of the Sea, Ricardo Serrão Santos, admits interest mainly in blue whiting and being able to use it in exchange for the capture of other species.
4 – Access to healthcare for Europeans in the UK
For short visits, the European health card remains valid so that Europeans can receive health care in the United Kingdom and the British on European soil.
The settlement of accounts will be carried out later between the social security systems of the countries involved.
The situation will be different for those who go to work or live in the UK. In this case, UK national rules on social security and access to health care will apply.
This is one of the areas in which it is recognized that, in the future, the two parties can move towards more specific agreements and define situations that are not contemplated in this trade and association agreement.
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, affirmed, after reaching this understanding, that he admitted a close collaboration between the two parties in how to face this pandemic and even a future cooperation treaty between future health issues.
5 – The confidence of European consumers in the quality of products arriving from the UK
At the moment, there is no reason for European consumers to be suspicious of the quality of products imported from the UK because health control conditions, for example, must always respect the requirements of those who import.
This agreement found ways to simplify trade so that excessive sanitary control would not block the flow of goods.
However, an increase in this type of inspection can be increased at any time, if the customs services of the European Union register the consequent breach of the established rules.
6 – What will be required when traveling to the UK
The United Kingdom, when it was part of the European Union, did not join the Schengen area, so the rules that were in force until now are the ones that will be maintained.
Anyone traveling to and from the UK will still have to present documents, on departure and arrival, and, in the case of airports, in areas other than those intended for citizens of countries that are party to the Schengen agreement that allows free movement. people within the signatory countries, without the need to present a passport at the borders. However, it will not be necessary to obtain a prior visa for short trips – up to 90 days – for tourism or business.
It should be noted, however, that until October of this year it will be enough to present the citizen card, but from that date it will be necessary to present a passport.
7 – The issue of competition and business in the European Union and the United Kingdom
Achieving free and fair competition between the two parties has always been one of the priorities of the European Union. Chief negotiator Michel Barnier has always insisted on the need to apply level playing field, creating the conditions so that everyone has the same chances of success in the market without rules or support that can distort fair competition.
In this sense, state support and subsidies to companies must be adequate and not allow advantageous situations in the market.
In this sense, if one of the parties considers that the aid that is being granted to the companies is contrary to what has been agreed, it may appeal to an arbitral tribunal and, as a last resort, impose sanctions that may include the prohibition of importation of products of industry that is being subsidized by Brussels or London.
The UK wanted to be able to impose its own rules, but the European Union understood that access without tariffs, customs duties and import limits would be necessary so that there were no market distortion rules or, alternatively, the imposition of customs taxes or a limit to imports. In the agreement now reached, it was decided to create basic situations with the definition of state aid compatible with healthy competition.
8 – Future bilateral agreements and banking and financial services
From now on, the countries of the European Union can develop bilateral or multilateral agreements with the United Kingdom in areas that are not covered – or are only covered by certain topics – by the agreements already signed. But the most significant of these areas is that of financial services.
For the purpose of freedom of services between the two parties, British banks and insurance companies wishing to provide services in the European Union must necessarily establish themselves in one of the Member States. Thereafter, a Member State can conclude bilateral agreements that address the operation of these services.
Another area in which bilateral agreements can be signed in the future is emigration. The requirements to work, reside or study can be defined on a case-by-case basis between the United Kingdom and one of the countries of the European Union.
9 – Transport of people and goods between the European Union and the United Kingdom
The agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom foresees that the transport of people and goods by land, sea and air will continue, but with some changes.
In the case of air passenger transport, a British airline can fly from a point in the United Kingdom to a country in the European Union, but will no longer be able to make a stopover in one Member State and travel to another and only then return to an airport. country of origin.
In the case of freight transport, it may be possible to make stopovers – rollovers – even to prevent the vehicles from returning empty, which would have an ecological and environmental cost that both parties want to avoid.
10 – Cooperation with the United Kingdom on research and science programs
The UK has abandoned most of the European programs, some very important like Erasmus, but will continue close cooperation in other areas. Examples are the Horizon Europe program, the Scientific Research and Innovation Program, the Copernicus program and the Earth Observation Program, which are highly relevant in the study and fight against climate change.
But the joint work between Europeans and British can be extended to other areas.
In fact, it is already possible for third States to participate in European Union programs provided that they also contribute to the financing of that program. The same will have to happen whenever the United Kingdom wants to be an integral part of a European project / program: it must finance it in the amount and in the defined way.
Many experts consider that it is desirable that this also happens in areas such as security, defense and foreign policy, where the objectives are common.
Political will will be needed on both sides.
