As the British House of Commons prepared to vote on Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal yesterday evening, Madrid has drafted a decree with contingency plans in the event of the United Kingdom crashing out of the European Union with no deal.
The Spanish government launched an information website listing the various issues that citizens and businesses will face after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.
The site is part of the larger La Moncloa government website. Its stated goals include providing information to citizens and entrepreneurs about “the changes that the UK’s exit from the EU will have on their interests, as well as about the contingency measures being adopted internally and at the European level.”
As reported by Spain’s daily newspaper El País, the site covers the possibility of a no-deal Brexit – an exit without an agreement on the future relationship between Britain and the EU – which would represent “a disaster for everyone” according to a statement made on January 14 by Foreign Minister Josep Borrell.
Information is provided about residency, voting rights, healthcare, education, travel, financial services and more. The site also provides a list of frequently asked questions and answers.
Citizens are assured that they will preserve local voting rights in both Spain and the UK. Madrid and London and working on regulations that will be formally presented on January 21.
