Brexit: legal certainty for 35,000 Flemish citizens

In the context of the upcoming Brexit, Flemish Minister-President Geert Bourgeois wants to limit the legal uncertainty of Flemings in the UK to the greatest extent possible. “I am pleased that our Prime Minister is monitoring the Brexit negotiations closely and defending Flemish interests,” says Member of the Flemish Parliament Karl Vanlouwe.

In August, figures showed that 26,478 of our fellow citizens were registered in consular population registers in London. However, according to the Flemish Government, that is not the precise number. “Estimates are more in the region of around 35,000. Of these, about 70% are thought to be living and working in the Greater London area. The people in question are primarily highly educated Flemings,” says Karl Vanlouwe. Conversely, the number of British people living in our country is estimated to be approximately 30,000.

Legal certainty during and after Brexit

The Flemish Government wants rights to be protected based on the principle of reciprocity. It is therefore necessary to hold negotiations simultaneously on the rights of European citizens in the UK and of UK citizens in the European Union. “The Flemish Government is also closely monitoring the situation of self-employed workers, frontier workers and seconded workers. Quite rightly, as most Flemings in the UK belong to those categories,” Karl Vanlouwe concludes.