Brexit - the Result

EU Referendum – The Result

The result of the EU Referendum is in and as you will be aware the result is to leave (51.9% to leave and 48.1% to remain).

If you are currently in the UK as an EEA national exercising ‘treaty rights’ in the UK or the family member then you will not immediately be affected by this result. What will happen next is that the UK and the EU will need to negotiate a withdrawal agreement.

In his speech this morning, David Cameron said that he would be stepping down as Prime Minister  by October and that he would not be invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, instead he would leave that for his successor.

Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty allows a member state to notify the EU of its intention to withdraw and states that the EU should negotiate and conclude an agreement with that state, essentially a withdrawal agreement. The member state would then leave the EU at the date the withdrawal agreement is enforced, or failing that , two years after the date Article 50 was invoked by the member state. During this period the member state, in this case the UK, would remain a member of the EU, thus meaning that EEA nationals exercising their treaty rights in the UK with their dependent family members may remain in the UK.

At present it is uncertain when or if the UK will invoke Article 50 and what the outcome will be for current EEA nationals in the UK with their dependent family members after we leave the EU. In these circumstances it would be advisable for those people in this position if they wish to remain in the UK to submit applications for Permanent Residence if they have acquired five years continuous residence or other relevant EEA applications.

We will continue to keep you updated.