Commenting, Lord Green of Deddington, Chairman of Migration Watch UK, said: “This is a sensible and satisfactory outcome. Importantly, it will not prevent us from achieving a substantial reduction in net migration from the EU once we have left. That must now be the focus of the government’s efforts.”
Note to editors:
Our view is that, on immigration, this outcome is as good as could be expected in the circumstances:
1. It meets all reasonable needs of EU citizens resident in the UK and Brits in the EU
2. It allows the UK to take control of EU migration after 29 March 2019.
3. It severely limits the scope of ECJ involvement, including a clear time limit.
4. It avoids granting EU citizens greater rights of family reunion than British citizens, except for relationships that are in place on the Brexit date. There is no such privilege extending into the indefinite future.
See the joint report by the UK government and the EU, published on 8 December 2017.