Brexit: what is it? On 23 June 2016, British citizens were called to vote on the important (and debated) issue of the UK's stay in the European Union.
Brexit
Citizens in particular were asked to vote between the Remain and the Leave of their country, and at the time of the opening of the polls the Leave movement prevailed with 51.9% of the votes with a turnout of around 79%. requires Her Majesty's government to begin the procedures for officially leaving the Union, renegotiating all trade agreements with other members and to review the position of those European citizens transplanted to the United Kingdom who will be considered, from the moment of effective exit, non-EU citizens.
The agreements between the member countries of the Union in fact provide for the free exchange of goods and people, avoiding the long bureaucratic steps that are carried out for a non-EU country such as the United States, Australia or Japan. If before a plane ticket and an identity card were enough to go to England, in the future it will therefore be necessary to include other documents (passport, visa, etc.) and rely on strict border controls before stepping on British soil
The referendum has no immediate value, indeed it will be necessary to wait between two and five years before seeing the United Kingdom outside the European Community. It will also be necessary to understand whether it will be an effective exit or not, given the importance that Great Britain has within the Brussels Parliament.
The scenario will certainly change for Italians who dream of a future in the shadow of
Buckingham Palace and for those who are currently already part of the efficient British machine. Those who have resided in the country for more than five years, with fluent English and some economic stability, will be able to apply for British citizenship, but for those in a more uncertain situation, the question is more complex.
First of all you will need a residence permit and a work permit, and hope not to find yourself unemployed for more than sixty days, under penalty of withdrawal of the permit and the obligation to leave the country.
Italians registered with AIRE (Registry of Italians Resident Abroad) will have an advantage over those who are not registered, as they will be able to prove their registered residence before Brexit, but will still be subject to various immigration controls. However, according to experts, no mass expulsions are planned
The real problem arises with the benefits that the Government currently grants to EU citizens. When Great Britain actually leaves the EU, resident Italians (and not in possession of British citizenship) will no longer be entitled to unemployment benefits, various subsidies and above all to health care. Going to the emergency room and receiving first aid will no longer be the responsibility of the state, but of the patient who will have to pay for the medical services he will need out of his own pocket.
These last points were actually already under discussion before Brexit, as Cameron's government has repeatedly expressed in the past the need to re-enter public debt by cutting these expenses, but with the result of the referendum there will certainly be an acceleration in the address these issues.
Final thoughts on pensions and the possibility of studying in the UK. If no cuts are foreseen for pensions as they are regulated by international agreements, Italian students who want to complete the training course in prestigious English schools could see annual fees increase (even dramatically), thus putting their studies at risk.
However, all this remains a vague hypothesis and a simple (and unofficial) future forecast. As mentioned above, it will take years for Britain to leave the EU to take effect, but it is still wise to prepare the various documents that will be required of us in the future.
Great Britain leaves the European Union, the consequences for the Italians
