[ad_1]
LONDON — The European Commission said Monday that the condition and length of detention of some EU nationals in U.K. immigration removal centers is a “source for concern.”
POLITICO reported last week that about 30 EU citizens, including German, Greek, Italian, Romanian and Spanish nationals, had been detained at the U.K. border and held in these centers for up to seven days before being returned to their home countries. This mirrors the treatment nationals from non-EU countries in the same situation have long faced.
In a statement Monday, a Commission spokesperson said this was a “consular issue” raised in meetings last week between the EU Delegation in London, the Portuguese presidency of the EU and member countries.
“This does not seem to be a generalized trend as a small number of EU citizens are concerned,” the spokesperson said. “Nevertheless, the EU Delegation is following this case closely, in particular the conditions and the duration of retention, which are a source of concern.”
On Friday, the U.K. released a Spanish woman held in an immigration removal center near London after four days in detention, but has not returned her Spanish passport. The woman had been put in self-isolation after cases of COVID-19 were detected in the wing of the center where she was being kept.
Following Brexit, EU citizens are prevented from entering the U.K. for work purposes without either a work visa or EU Settlement Scheme status, which guarantees the residence rights of those who were living in Britain before it left the EU.
EU nationals can enter Britain visa-free for tourism and stay for up to 180 days. The U.K. Border Force is entitled to reject entry to EU nationals if officials have reasonable grounds to suspect they intend to work in the country but can’t produce a work visa. The officials cannot, however, ask EU citizens for their residence status under the EU Settlement Scheme until the deadline for applications closes on June 30.
The Commission added that it “stands ready to support member states in so far as possible.” The EU Delegation will share “all related information with the [U.K.] Home Office,” the spokesperson added.
Asked for a response Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman declined to comment on individual cases and said he was not aware of any similar situations faced by British nationals in the EU.
“Obviously, we would expect everyone regardless of the residence status to be treated in the correct manner, but I’m not going to get into individual circumstances,” he added. “EU citizens are our friends and neighbors, we want them to remain in the U.K. which is why we are taking such significant steps to provide this very wide EU Settlement Scheme, which millions have taken up.”
Are you a professional following the impact of Brexit on your industry? Brexit Transition Pro, our premium service for professionals, helps you navigate the policy, and regulatory changes to come. Email [email protected] to request a trial.
[ad_2]
Source link
