Since the Brexit on January 1st, Great Britain has turned away more than 3,000 citizens from states of the European Union at the border. In the first quarter alone, a total of 3,294 EU citizens were prevented from entering the UK – six times as many as in the same period last year as the daily newspaper The Guardian reported on Friday. The German ambassador in London, Andreas Michaelis, expressed concern about the development.
“You can say: This had to happen in view of the end of freedom of movement,” wrote Michaelis on Twitter. “But still: It creates a new reality and an atmosphere in which it becomes more and more difficult to stay connected.”
Romanians number 1
According to the British Home Office, Romania accounted for around two thirds of those affected in the first quarter with more than 2,000 people. Compared to the same period in the previous year, the number almost increased tenfold.
Great Britain left the EU customs union and the internal market on January 1st. Tourists from the EU are still allowed to enter the country without a visa. In order to live or work in Great Britain, however, EU citizens recently need a visa. People who lived in the country before the end of 2020 can apply for the so-called Settlement Scheme until the end of June. This guarantees them largely the same rights as they did before leaving the EU.
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