More than 2,250 British citizens have been ordered to leave European Union countries since the end of the Brexit transition period, according to new figures.
Data published last month by Eurostat shows a total of 2,285 UK nationals were between 1 January 2021, the day British citizens lost their right to free movement within the EU, and the end of September last year, around 108 people per month.
There was wide variation in the numbers between member states: Sweden accounted for nearly half (1,050) and the Netherlands almost one-third, while Germany only expelled 25.
Malta ordered 115 UK nationals to leave, France 95, Belgium 65, Denmark 40, and Austria 10, while some countries with large populations of British residents, including Spain, Portugal and Italy, reported no expulsion orders.
Experts noted that the data, first reported by Sweden’s The Local, did not reveal the reasons behind the expulsions but said the figures were “the starkest possible reminder” of the consequences of Brexit.
“British citizens are now third-country nationals in the EU and those who are not covered by the withdrawal agreement are subject to domestic immigration laws,” said Professor Michaela Benson of Lancaster University, who has conducted extensive research on Britain’s relationship with its citizens abroad.
Prof Benson said the difference in expulsion figures across the bloc most likely reflected differences in national policy on immigration, registration, recording and reporting.
“Denmark obviously has a notoriously tough approach to all immigration,” she said.
Some countries have changed their approach to British nationals too. The Netherlands for a time had a so-called “flexible Brexit policy” which allowed British residents to apply for documents even after the transition period.
But this policy ended in October last year and British nationals are now treated the same as any other third country nationals, the Dutch immigration department said.
Jane Golding, an EU law specialist and co-chair of the British in Europe group, said there were “worryingly high” expulsion orders in some countries but the data did not distinguish between people who arrived after December 2020 and those resident before, who should in principle have rights under the Brexit withdawal agreement.
“Without further information, we cannot tell whether there are withdrawal agreement implementation problems in some of those countries that need to be investigated,” Ms Golding said.
There can be no comparison made with earlier years since the data records “third country nationals ordered to leave” and British citizens were until the beginning of 2021 treated as EU citizens.
Under the terms of the withdrawal agreement, UK citizens who were legally resident in one of the EU’s 27 member states at the end of the transition period were eligible for permanent residence.
