The stay-in or stay-out referendum will take place only in United Kingdom and Gibraltar, despite consequences for British EU citizens across the world
by Emanuele Bonini
Live or leave. Should I stay or should I go? British citizens have been called to vote The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. The 23rd of June the they'll decide whether remain in the EU or not, although nearly a quarter million of people won't be allowed to express their opinion. Only Brits in UK and Gibraltar will vote the 2016 referendum, which means the almost 250.000 people living across the fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOTs) will be out of public consultation. Having a look to the map, it could make sense. We are talking about territories far far away from the European continent and, as a consequence, from the European Union. Nevertheless, all people of the British overseas territories were granted full British citizenship by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, and are consequently citizens of the European Union. Conditions are clear: only Commonwealth and BOTs citizens «resident in the UK» are allowed to vote. This is because British living in BOTs have a special status: British and EU citizenships but in third or associated countries. That's why Europe consider the 14 British Overseas Territories. Thus, all the other voters living far from the mother-country cannot express their opinion. This means that descendants of mutineers from the Bounty are remaining at home (or on the beach) in the Pitcairn Islands. Maybe a good choice, who knows? Should the British crown trust those whose fathers acted against the king in XVIII century? The over 50.000 people living on the Cayman Islands could be tempted of voting for a Brexit after the decision of the European Union to declare war to tax heavens. That would be a problem for Mr. David Cameron who is calling for staying in. Same situation would be in Bermuda and Anguilla, other British Overseas Territories considered a tax heaven and for this reason blacklisted by some countries across the world. It's easy to understand what both British Bermudians and British Anguillians could vote in case of participation. The so called «twin pillars» of the economy of the British Virgin Islands are tourism and financial services, so British citizens here would live or would leave?
Despite British rules and geographic reasons, it is curious that BOT citizens can't vote for the The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum given the fact that tanks to the UK European membership these territories have EU funds for granted. Through the European Development Fund (EDF) the BOTs of Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks et Caicos, Pitcairn Islands, Falkland Islands, Saint Helena, Ascencion and Tristan da Cunha have received a total EU funding of 62,37 million Euro during the period 2007-2013, and the same BOTs will receive total EU funding of 76,8 million Euro in the 2014-2020 financial period. In case of a Brexit for the UK Caribbean Overseas Territories, perhaps the most significant challenge would relate to finding a way to ensure future funding from the EDF, and continuing access to its Investment Facility and to the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as retaining access to other European programmes of benefit relating to the environment, education and training.
Live or leave. Should I stay or should I go? British citizens have been called to vote The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. The 23rd of June the they'll decide whether remain in the EU or not, although nearly a quarter million of people won't be allowed to express their opinion. Only Brits in UK and Gibraltar will vote the 2016 referendum, which means the almost 250.000 people living across the fourteen British Overseas Territories (BOTs) will be out of public consultation. Having a look to the map, it could make sense. We are talking about territories far far away from the European continent and, as a consequence, from the European Union. Nevertheless, all people of the British overseas territories were granted full British citizenship by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, and are consequently citizens of the European Union. Conditions are clear: only Commonwealth and BOTs citizens «resident in the UK» are allowed to vote. This is because British living in BOTs have a special status: British and EU citizenships but in third or associated countries. That's why Europe consider the 14 British Overseas Territories. Thus, all the other voters living far from the mother-country cannot express their opinion. This means that descendants of mutineers from the Bounty are remaining at home (or on the beach) in the Pitcairn Islands. Maybe a good choice, who knows? Should the British crown trust those whose fathers acted against the king in XVIII century? The over 50.000 people living on the Cayman Islands could be tempted of voting for a Brexit after the decision of the European Union to declare war to tax heavens. That would be a problem for Mr. David Cameron who is calling for staying in. Same situation would be in Bermuda and Anguilla, other British Overseas Territories considered a tax heaven and for this reason blacklisted by some countries across the world. It's easy to understand what both British Bermudians and British Anguillians could vote in case of participation. The so called «twin pillars» of the economy of the British Virgin Islands are tourism and financial services, so British citizens here would live or would leave?
Despite British rules and geographic reasons, it is curious that BOT citizens can't vote for the The United Kingdom European Union membership referendum given the fact that tanks to the UK European membership these territories have EU funds for granted. Through the European Development Fund (EDF) the BOTs of Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks et Caicos, Pitcairn Islands, Falkland Islands, Saint Helena, Ascencion and Tristan da Cunha have received a total EU funding of 62,37 million Euro during the period 2007-2013, and the same BOTs will receive total EU funding of 76,8 million Euro in the 2014-2020 financial period. In case of a Brexit for the UK Caribbean Overseas Territories, perhaps the most significant challenge would relate to finding a way to ensure future funding from the EDF, and continuing access to its Investment Facility and to the European Investment Bank (EIB), as well as retaining access to other European programmes of benefit relating to the environment, education and training.
No comments:
Post a Comment