UK And Swiss Expats Rights Now Protected From No Deal Brexit

UK expats in Switzerland and Swiss nationals working in the UK are now protected in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The signing last week of a pre-Brexit agreement between the UK and Switzerland has ensured British and Swiss expats working in each others’ countries will be able to continue doing so even if a no-deal Brexit is the final result. Even although the agreement is only valid until the end of December 2020, it gives time for those at risk to organise their lives and next moves. As has been shown over the past several years since the Brexit referendum, a lot can happen in a fairly short period of time.

The recent agreement follows on from another signed between the two states in February this year, which safeguarded the existing rights of both Swiss expats in the UK and their UK expat equivalents in Switzerland. The agreement covered recognition of work-related qualifications and social security entitlements, making the rights valid for life. In addition, the two countries have agreed to continue working together in the financial crime and terrorism sectors as well as considering the possibility of cooperation between the UK and Swiss police forces.

According to Britain’s Home Secretary Sajid Javid, the two countries will continue to work together on the war against terror, with the minister telling the media continued cooperation is essential as terror knows no borders. He added close cooperation with Britain’s allies is all-important in order to tackle criminal activity at its worst in the post-Brexit years. Switzerland, he added, is now a valuable partner in the international fight for internal security, with bilateral and international channels working together.

In other Brexit news, Ursula von der Leyen, the probable replacement for Jean-Claude Juncker, has clearly stated she would support a further UK exit delay beyond October this year in order to prevent the harm caused by a no-deal Brexit. In addition, she warned both Johnson and Hunt that forcing a no-deal exit would imperil any chance the UK has of a future trading relationship with the bloc.