The Brexit referendum thread: potential consequences for GB, EU and the Brits in CH

[JackieH]

Certainly can't make this one up

''Tory Brexiteers have called on Boris Johnson to scrap the arrangements for Northern Ireland which he agreed with Brussels.

The European Research Group (ERG) has published a report which concluded the Northern Ireland Protocol had a “profound and negative effect”.

The protocol was designed by the EU and UK to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland.

It achieves this by effectively creating a regulatory and customs border in the Irish Sea, with goods imported into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK subject to a range of new processes.

This has caused some disruption to trade since it came into effect on December 31, and those difficulties could intensify significantly on April 1 when a grace period currently limiting the bureaucracy applied to imported supermarket goods ends''

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	k_and_e
	Before, you had to wait in the long EU passport queue. Now, you have to wait in the long passport queue. Key difference is that you are less entitled and have to mix with these loud Americans.

Well actually the first problem is that you'd have to have the passport to start with.

As of the first of October, visiting the UK will have gone from as simple as visiting Germany to as complicated as planing a trip to the USA.

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Well actually the first problem is that you'd have to have the passport to start with. As of the first of October, visiting the UK will have gone from as simple as visiting Germany to as complicated as planing a trip to the USA.

Not exactly. You just need a passport. No visa, no esta, no crazy controls at airports.

It's simpler than visiting Turkey.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	JackieH
	Certainly can't make this one up ''Tory Brexiteers have called on Boris Johnson to scrap the arrangements for Northern Ireland which he agreed with Brussels. The European Research Group (ERG) has published a report which concluded the Northern Ireland Protocol had a “profound and negative effect”. The protocol was designed by the EU and UK to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland. It achieves this by effectively creating a regulatory and customs border in the Irish Sea, with goods imported into Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK subject to a range of new processes. This has caused some disruption to trade since it came into effect on December 31, and those difficulties could intensify significantly on April 1 when a grace period currently limiting the bureaucracy applied to imported supermarket goods ends''

Well it seems Mr Grove powers of persuasion were not up to it yesterday:

	Quote:
	The EU and UK have reaffirmed their joint commitment to the Good Friday Agreement and to the full implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol following a meeting this evening of the Joint Committee, which oversees the outworking of the Protocol.

	Quote:
	EU sources say they have not ruled out an extension to grace periods. However, the European Commission and member states are adamant that no extensions can be entertained until the UK implements an agreement reached between Mr Gove and Mr Sefcovic and their teams last December.

But Mr Grove is working on yet another plan:

	Quote:
	RTÉ News understands, however, that the UK is seeking to develop a plan whereby British supermarkets with Northern Ireland outlets would enhance their own surveillance and traceability systems to the point where, British officials believe, the European Commission could be satisfied that they could approximate EU traceability requirements and remove the need for export health certificates.

I don't know but may be, just may be, he should start working on an implementation rather than yet another plan.....

source

[bowlie]

One very minor downside for British Passport holders (not resident in EU/CH) is their passports need to be stamped in and out of Schengen.

Probably take an additional 30 seconds entering and a minute 30 seconds on leaving.

No big deal.

Just multiply those numbers by 180, for a full easyjet flight, and by 60 or 70, for the number of Saturday/Sunday UK-Geneva flights at mid-term.

Thank goodness I’m in the CH/EU queue.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	bowlie
	One very minor downside for British Passport holders (not resident in EU/CH) is their passports need to be stamped in and out of Schengen.

Well at least we'll have fewer football hooligans, lager louts etc...

[bowlie]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Well at least we'll have fewer football hooligans, lager louts etc...

You think?

I can see the headlines now. “Nobody told me that me mates and I had to wait in the frigging queue at Geneva airport for frigging four hours. There aught to be a law.”

But, again the Brits are not being singled out, this rule applies to all third country nationals not resident in Schengen, except for a small handful of EU countries not in Schengen.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	bowlie
	You think? I can see the headlines now. “Nobody told me that me mates and I had to wait in the frigging queue at Geneva airport for frigging four hours. There aught to be a law.” But, again the Brits are not being singled out, this rule applies to all third country nationals not resident in Schengen, except for a small handful of EU countries not in Schengen.

Once you are on the Schengen system, you won’t even be able to get on a plane..

	Quote:	bowlie
	You think? I can see the headlines now. “Nobody told me that me mates and I had to wait in the frigging queue at Geneva airport for frigging four hours. There aught to be a law.” But, again the Brits are not being singled out, this rule applies to all third country nationals not resident in Schengen, except for a small handful of EU countries not in Schengen.

*me an' me mates

[amogles]

	Quote:	fatmanfilms
	No need to get passports before 30 September, ID cards still accepted. 'Buy whilst stock last'

OTOH the self-scan things at many airports save you so much time that a passport pays for itself if you travel frequently.

[amogles]

	Quote:	SponPlague
	The real difference these days is whether you have an e-passport or not...

Does the other type still exist?

[fatmanfilms]

	Quote:	amogles
	OTOH the self-scan things at many airports save you so much time that a passport pays for itself if you travel frequently.

Mine on the other hand seldom works, apparently I have a very common name according to the customs officer, he can always read the chip!

[greenmount]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	Well actually the first problem is that you'd have to have the passport to start with. As of the first of October, visiting the UK will have gone from as simple as visiting Germany to as complicated as planing a trip to the USA.

Is there anyone who doesn't?
I know EU citizens can travel with ID cards only but I don't remember ever doing that - personally. I have both but feel safer with my (biometric) passport. ID card is for home country where they can check everything and I actually need it for every single thing I do there - starting with tax office, civil registry, etc etc etc. but passport is for abroad.

[st2lemans]

	Quote:	greenmount
	Is there anyone who doesn't? I know EU citizens can travel with ID cards only but I don't remember ever doing that - personally. I have both but feel safer with my (biometric) passport.

Swiss too.

My daughter doesn't have a Swiss one, just an ID card, and uses her US passport when out of Europe.

I only travel with mine outside of Europe.

Tom

[greenmount]

	Quote:	st2lemans
	Swiss too. My daughter doesn't have a Swiss one, just an ID card, and uses her US passport when out of Europe. I only travel with mine outside of Europe. Tom

Lol, my Eastern-European mentality pops up again. I feel the need to gather as many official documents as I can....just in case.

And I'm extremely panicked when I think I lost something because I know how much time it takes to be provided with a new one.

[MusicChick]

	Quote:	st2lemans
	Swiss too. My daughter doesn't have a Swiss one, just an ID card, and uses her US passport when out of Europe. I only travel with mine outside of Europe. Tom

We are so used to travelling to places where you cannot just show up with an ID that I wouldn't just think about having only ID to move around with, even within Schengen. It is probably ott.

[Jim2007]

	Quote:	MusicChick
	We are so used to travelling to places where you cannot just show up with an ID that I wouldn't just think about having only ID to move around with, even within Schengen. It is probably ott.

I have not renewed my Irish passport since 2009, I have just used a Swiss ID card. And the Irish authorities don’t care what documents you use to enter the country. I still get a “welcome home” when I present Swiss ID, as do my kids which always amuses them since they never lived there.

[MusicChick]

	Quote:	Jim2007
	I have not renewed my Irish passport since 2009, I have just used a Swiss ID card. And the Irish authorities don’t care what documents you use to enter the country. I still get a “welcome home” when I present Swiss ID, as do my kids which always amuses them since they never lived there.

Your last name must be very Irish.

People switch to German with me already before me pulling out my travel documents.

[JackieH]

Only had one 'bad' experience at the border here. When we still lived in UK and had to come running (as so many times) because my mum had taken a turn for the worse. Arrived at border with hire car with AI plates of course, asked for documents so handed over my British Passport and Driving Licence- speaking with a local accent- it just did compute for them. Over to side- wait - went to check papers and returned with a 'ok then' - so I smiled and said ' wow what a welcome to come home to' - startled he asked where I was going - when I told him who my parents were, they were all apologetic. Hilarious.

[amogles]

	Quote:	JackieH
	Only had one 'bad' experience at the border here. When we still lived in UK and had to come running (as so many times) because my mum had taken a turn for the worse. Arrived at border with hire car with AI plates of course, asked for documents so handed over my British Passport and Driving Licence- speaking with a local accent- it just did compute for them. Over to side- wait - went to check papers and returned with a 'ok then' - so I smiled and said ' wow what a welcome to come home to' - startled he asked where I was going - when I told him who my parents were, they were all apologetic. Hilarious.

I think attitudes of border guards have changed massively over the years. 30 years ago they were much more pedantic and anal than they are now. I remember frequently having to open my bags. It hasn't happened to me once in the last 20 years or so.

Maybe it's also to do with growing older. Maybe they tend to be tougher on young folks.