BREXIT HAS dramatically planted “an earthquake” under the European Union but expats living in Spainare assured their lives will not be immediately shaken up.
British people will continue to enjoy the same rights of residency, healthcare, pension rights and Spain is already keen to enter negotiations to seal a beneficial future for both countries.With a 52% vote The ‘Leave’ campaign won the historic referendum and negotiations between the United Kingdom and her 27 partners are tipped to take a minimum of two years once it officially begins the process to quit.And despite certain EU leaders predicting an “acrimonious divorce” and expressing their “dismay” at the crucial result, the message for British citizens who live and work in Spain is ´keep calm and carry on´.This week Ambassador Simon Manley said leaving the single market would be a “gradual process” and Prime Minister David Cameron would continue for the next three months and talks would begin when his successor was in office.In a fast-changing game, bookies’ favourite Boris Johnson, the leader of the wining ‘out’ campaign, announced yesterday (Thursday) he would not stand in the race to succeed Mr Cameron, who resigned a week ago.
PROCESS Mr Manley said the new Premier would decide when to start the process of leaving the EU, activating Article 50. “The negotiations could take two years or more and until they are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union.”
The ambassador said: “The British people took a really important decision and the government has pledged to respect that decision and to move ahead in due course and begin negotiations to honour that clear vote by the people.“Right now nothing has changed for expats in Spain. The rights and obligations they have as British citizens, European citizens, have not changed right now. Until we have negotiated our departure, the UK remains a partner of the EU and all the things that go with it.”And Ximo Puig, President of the Valencia Community, said over 82,000 British people lived in the region – 89% of them in Alicante – and more than 2 million visited every year.“We export in value almost 3,000 million Euros, and the UK is one of the main investors in Valencia. To all those who live among us and to our visitors, the investors, The Generalitat Valenciana wants to send a message of calm and reiterate our affection and gratitude,” he said.
MESSAGE“This message of tranquillity extends to our businesses and to the thousands of people from Valencia who for work and study reasons are in the UK.“The Valencia Community has been, is, and will be a welcoming land – a land that wants to do business for the benefit of all. Whatever the next chapter in Europe will be, we want it to be written with friendship and cooperation with the UK. No political project is without its risks and challenges. Europe has to change, adapt and combine all identities and sensibilities.”German leader Angela Merkel predicts a “difficult divorce” and is pressing for a speedy settlement but back in the UK George Osborne said only the UK could trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and her exit – he said the country would face the future from “a position of strength” and it was “perfectly sensible” to wait for a new leader.THE EU has suddenly accepted the need for reform – since the referendum result was announced, political commentators have predicted its collapse without change. One Spanish paper’s front page said the leave decision provoked “an earthquake without precedent” and predicted “blood, sweat and tears”.Key elections are being held across Europe next year and politicians are already preparing the ground for referenda in EU member states – leading voices in France predict a “Frexit”.An electronic petition in the UK calls for a second referendum – all expats can sign it – and by yesterday morning it had over 4 million signatures.It calls for the government to implement a rule that if vote for leave or remain was less than 60% based on a turnout of fewer than 75% of the electorate; there should be a second ballot.
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