Norway and the UK have reached an agreement to secure rights of Norwegians in the UK and the British in Norway if the British crash out of the EU without agreement.
The emergency agreement was announced by the British authorities on Friday morning. It also includes the other two EEA countries, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
“It is very important to ensure that Norwegian citizens who are in the UK, and British citizens who are in Norway, have the right to continue their stay and to continue the rights they have today” said Minister of Justice and Immigration, Tor Mikkel Wara of Fremskrittsparti (Frp) .
‘’I am therefore pleased that we have reached an agreement with the UK that ensures this’’ he said.
Requesting consent
The emergency agreement is necessary because the UK and the three EEA countries were actually planning to base their divorce agreement on that between the UK and the EU. In a “no deal” situation, there will be no such agreement to build on.
Wara will now request the Norwegian parliament’s consent to sign the agreement.
At the same time, the Government is asking parliament for authorisation to also implement other urgent measures if the British were to break with the EU without agreement.
As before
The actual content of the emergency agreement is close to the provisions that will apply if the British are able to sail an orderly Brexit into port.
This means that Norwegians who already live in the UK will largely be able to continue as before, whether they study or work there. They will also largely have the same access to social security benefits as before.
The same goes the opposite way for Britons who already live in Norway.
The agreement also gives rights to family members of Norwegians in the UK and Britons in Norway.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today