Brexit Scenarios

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker calls on member states to be ready for all possible Brexit scenarios.

Roxana Vasile, 31.01.2019, 13:41

There are two months left until the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, on March 29th, during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the EU, but it’s hard to estimate how this is going to really happen. The British Parliament has mandated prime-minister Theresa May to renegotiate the agreement reached with the EU on Brexit, but the EU officials have strongly rejected such an option.

The latest developments on the British political scene have enhanced the risk of a disorderly exit, the EC President Jean-Claude Junker has stated. He has called on the member states to get ready for all potential scenarios, including the bleakest one. In turn, the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has stated that the agreement endorsed by the member states is the best and only way to ensure an orderly withdrawal of the UK from the European Union.

In turn, the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, has stated that observing the rights of all 3.5 million Europeans who are living in Great Britain, and also of the Britons who have chosen to live in EU member countries, is a priority. In the meantime, the British Ambassador to Bucharest, Andrew Noble, has had meetings with the Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and the Minister for Romanians Abroad, Natalia Intotero. Viorica Dancila and Andrew Noble have both stressed the very good relationship between Romania and the UK, their common contribution to Europe’s security and defense, as well as the tight economic and social relations between the two countries.

Against this background, the Romanian PM has reiterated the fact that, to Romania, ensuring the protection of the Romanian citizens’ rights in the UK is of utmost importance and has also provided guarantees that, in turn, Bucharest will take all the necessary measures to protect the rights of the British citizens living in Romania, regardless of whether there will be a deal with the EU or not. The Romanian community in Britain is worried, as minister Natalia Intotero has said. She has stated that a working group on European Affairs has been established within the ministry she runs, focusing, among other things, on monitoring the Brexit developments, for the Romanian citizens living in the UK to be properly informed.

Also, the Ministry for Romanians Abroad is in a permanent dialogue with the Foreign Ministry, the Romanian diplomatic mission in London and Romania’s other consular offices. Also, an email address has been created, brexit@mprp.gov.ro, where the Romanian citizens who are living in the UK can ask questions about their future on British soil. Their main concerns are residency, studies and transportation.