NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday allayed fears of the Indians, essentially the Goans, living in Britain on the Portuguese passport on the prospects of they becoming State-less. She cited any one of four conditions under which they can stay back in the UK at the end of transition period of December 31, 2020.
The conditions she cited in reply to a question by journalist Kumar Ketkar (Cong) in the Rajya Sabha are:
— Are workers or self-employed in the UK; or
— Have sufficient resources and sickness insurance; or
— Are family members of some other EU citizen who meets these conditions; or
— Have already acquired right of permanent residences.
The minister said under the Withdrawal Agreement, which is yet to be voted upon by the UK Parliament, those EU citizens who do not meet any one of the above conditions at the end of the transition period of 31.12.2020 will have no legal entitlement to stay in the UK.
Ketkar had expressed concern whether Brexit would mean about two lakh Indians who have migrated to Britain on the Portuguese passport will have to return to India and what the government was doing about it. Most of these people are Goans who migrated to Portugal to open up prospects of going to any European country, including Britain.
Swaraj also clarified that India has taken advance steps by signing the India-UK joint statement in April 2018 that envisages both sides to ensure continued application of the EU-India agreements in the UK during the transition period. It also “puts in place arrangements to replicate relevant EU-India agreements beyond this period.”
The minister said the Withdrawal Agreement between the Theresa May government and the European Union (EU) protects all EU citizens residing in the UK in accordance with the four conditions as prescribed in the “EU Free Movement Law.”
She said the Brexit process is essentially an issue that concerns the UK government and the EU. “However, Government of India is closely following the Brexit process.”
“After the Brexit day, March 29, 2019, when the UK leaves EU, there will be a transition period till December 31, 2020. During this transition period, UK will continue to be governed by the EU rules in its commitments thereof. However, during the transition period, the UK will be able to negotiate, sign and ratify new agreements with other countries, but they will not come into force until the end of the transition period on December 31, 2020,” Minister Swaraj added.
