woolybanana Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 It seems that there is a bill before Parliament which would guarantee expats and tourists health cover in the EU after Brexit with or without a deal. This from the Connection. Anybody got details or the strength to find out?Slightly surprised as I thought that this had already been agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I don't know about this bill, but the point is that nothing has been finalised.Provisional agreement has been reached in certain areas, but all that would disappear in the case of a hard Brexit as that means leaving without an agreement If there is such a Bill it bears out the point I have been making for ages here and elsewhere that Health Cover for the British in France is in the gift of the British government, and could have been settled a while ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 This?https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-law-proposed-to-safeguard-uk-citizens-healthcare-abroad-after-brexitNorman: much as I hate to keep banging this particular drum, a lot has been offered by the British Government in respect of safeguarding rights. However, as the EU keeps saying "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" there's been little sign of reciprocity on a number of key issues that it would cost the EU sod all to simply agree. Thinking outside the narrow scope of "how this affects UK migrants living abroad" - a small group, however you paint it, there's also the wider issue of "how this affects the hundreds of thousands of UK tourists visiting the EU 27 annually, or indeed the tourists from those countries visiting the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Thanks for that interesting link Betty.190,000 seems a low figure for retired Brits in the EU... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Sorry, Norm. Did an edit while you were posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Here's another useful link. I know it relates to 2017 but population data is unlikely to be more current.https://fullfact.org/europe/how-many-uk-citizens-live-other-eu-countries/What IS interesting is that it's (I assume) difficult to differentiate between those working, those retired (and of an age to be in receipt of a UK state pension) and those who are early retirees. Clearly, if you're a UK migrant living AND working in an EU 27 country, you have no need of reciprocal healthcare cover. Equally interesting is the figure of not far shy of 4 million Poles living abroad, and that that the UK is fifth behind even Germany for the number of its citizens living elsewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Surely the EU already has policies in place to cover things like residence and health care etc for non-EU nationals. It certainly had when I came to France, and they are published and available.In which areas has the UK offered things that are not already dealt with in the EU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Another interesting link Betty.I have to confess I thought they were more UK nationals abroad then that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 This is surely just the equivalent of the bill that France introduced a couple of weeks back. All it's doing is preparing a procedure to pass future legislation swiftly. It doesn't get us any further forward about what that future legislation might or not contain.But I guess we should be grateful that the HMG has faced up to the fact that legislation will be needed and taken the first step. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 28, 2018 Author Share Posted October 28, 2018 The French have always said that expat and tourists rights will be safeguarded on a recrocal basis so this bill may cover all that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Fascinating link; thanks Betty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YCCMB Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Just my opinion, but it's true (in fact, I've posted info before) that there are existing pieces of legislation/protocols/ agreements in place between any number of the EU27 and non-member states relating to reciprocal healthcare. And, IIRC, a number in the teens of non-EU countries already have some level of reciprocal healthcare agreement with the U.K.Woolly points out that France has something, or has said something, but I'm guessing that if they have hinted at an arrangement unilaterally, that might help those UK nationals living in France, but obviously the concerns of those living elsewhere may not have been addressed in the same way. Thus, it seems logical that an agreement, if one can be reached, encompass the whole of the EU rather than just the UK and the odd member state...much as those living in France would be happy if that which affected them were to be clarified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 I think in fact if it's no deal, healthcare arrangements will have to be agreed between the UK and individual states, because the European Council has made it crystal clear that the moment a no deal scenario comes into effect, the Council's role as negotiator on behalf of the 27 is at an end and it leaves the negotiating table. I think the phrase the EU initially used was something to the effect of no deal means negotiations stop, it doesn't mean a series of mini-deals in key areas, and the UK seemed very surprised and disbelieving and got them to repeat it several times in different words so I'm not sure if the message went home in the end or not.But as you say there are all kinds of healthcare treaties between EU and non EU countries and no doubt the UK will be added to the list, but it won't be an EU-wide agreement since the EU doesn't interfere in what healthcare arrangements individual states decide to agree with third countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard51 Posted October 28, 2018 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Definitive thoughts -haha.https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/healthcareinternationalarrangements.htmlDate for second reading not yet available.Its just a mess - period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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