Follow-up work

Following the end of the EU transition period, the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee agreed to undertake follow-up work looking into the changes to freedom of movement after Brexit.

At its meeting on 18 January 2021 the Committee held an evidence session with academics in order to receive an update on the matters considered during the original inquiry, including the progress of the UK’s EU Settlement Scheme in Wales and any further outstanding issues.

At its meeting on 25 January 2021, the Committee met with the EU’s Ambassador to the UK in order gain an understanding of the EU’s perspective on EU citizens’ rights in Wales after Brexit.

In January 2021 a series of focus groups (PDF, 137KB) were held with EU citizens residing in Wales and partner organisations to gather their views on the implementation of the EU Settlement Scheme.

On 17 February 2021 the Chair wrote to the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition (PDF, 315KB) and the Minister for Future Borders and Immigration (PDF, 213KB) at the Home Office regarding changes to set out the Committee’s findings and recommendations. The Counsel General and Minister for European Transition responded (PDF, 614KB) on 11 March 2021. The Minister for Future Borders and Immigration responded (PDF, 154KB) on 16 March 2021.

Report

The External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee published its report: Changes to freedom of movement after Brexit – implications for Wales, on 8 November 2019. The Welsh Government responded to the report on 20 December 2019. The report and response were debated in Plenary on 22 January 2020.

Alongside the publication of their report, the Committee produced a series of videos to present their findings.

The first video provides a summary of the inquiry and can be viewed below:

YouTube-Here https://www.youtube.com/embed/q-MfSFPXBHc

The second video focusses on the EU Settlement Scheme and can be viewed below:

YouTube-Here https://www.youtube.com/embed/LfYQ9UKCgSA

Evidence gathering

In order to inform their inquiry, the Committee gathered evidence from academics, stakeholders, and members of the public.

The Committee took evidence from academics on 13 May 2019 in order to understand some of the key issues on freedom of movement raised by Brexit in order to inform future work, if any, in this area.

On 9 July 2019 the Committee launched a consultation into changes to freedom of movement after Brexit – implications for Wales. The consultation closed on 10 September and 16 submissions (PDF, 920KB) were received.

The Committee held a focus group (PDF, 108KB) on 30 September 2019 with EU nationals and partner organisations to gain an understanding of their lived experience.

Background

In September 2017, the Welsh Government published a paper entitled ‘Brexit and Fair Movement of People’ (PDF, 1MB) which set out the Welsh Government’s position on the future freedom of movement rules after Brexit.

The UK Government published it’s White Paper on future immigration policy entitled: ‘The UK’s future skills-based immigration’ (PDF, 14.6MB) in December 2018. The paper sets out the government's plans to introduce a new single immigration system, ending free movement.

In March 2019, the Wales Centre for Public Policy published research, commissioned by the Welsh Government, on ‘Migration in Wales: The impact of post-Brexit policy changes’.