Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab stated that the UK will “move swiftly” to ensure that EU nationals residing in the UK will not be cast out in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
After having Brexit talks in Brussels, Dominic Raab said that the UK will hold a “moral obligation” to its people, including EU residents who should not worry about being “turfed out”.
EU Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has said that both the UK and the EU still have some disagreements with regards to future economic issues. The EU has insisted on keeping its principles and integrity intact when it comes to the single market.
Talks are expected to proceed until both sides reach an agreement on the specifics of a Brexit plan.
The UK’s departure date from the EU is on 29 March 2019.
However, over the past couple of weeks there has been widespread speculation over the possibility of a no-deal situation.
On Thursday, the government aims to publish a series of notices outlining what could happen if no deal is reached. The technical notices are aimed to act as advice for the UK public to prepare themselves for such a scenario.
When asked about the future of EU residents in the UK, Dominic Raab stated:
“We hugely value the contribution of EU citizens here in the UK and I am confident that in the unlikely eventuality that we don’t have a deal, we will move swiftly to secure their position”.
“It is inconceivable we would do anything other than make sure that they are legally in a position where they’re secure to stay…. we are talking about real people… and we have got a moral obligation”.
Earlier on Tuesday, at a press conference in Brussels, EU chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, said:
“Our challenge for the coming weeks is to try and define an ambitious partnership between the UK and the EU- a partnership that has no precedent.
This partnership has to respect the single market and the foundations of the European Project, and if this is well understood, we can conclude the negotiations successfully”.
