I think it would have been difficult - the EU has no recognition of EU citizenship except by dint of being a citizen of a member state - although it is only “bureaucracy” it would have involved changing the treaties which is a pretty big deal.
I think @Corona said it - it’s no biggie, anyone who really wants can apply can apply for a tourist visa anyway.
I think it could have been approached in a manner which was more likely to succeed - all 2nd home owners and not just Brits and as a streamlined route into issuing a tourist visa but if this was a serious attempt it was botched.
Of course there is always the possibility that it wasn’t a serious attempt but one intended to fail so that the French can turn to the pressure group that wanted it and say, with a straight(ish) face “bien, on a essayé, tant pis”
Well, the UK was a third country., then it was not, now it is again.
Most of us on this forum were I suspect not born EU citizens, In the early days of the Common Market/EEC while we were growing up Britain was a third country, in fact for as long as de Gaulle could keep it out. Then in 1973 Britain was allowed in and by 1975 it was already holding a referendum to decide whether to stay in or not. And there have been mutterings on and off ever since. So I do not think it is altogether surprising that we find ourselves third country nationals again. It was not a birthright, it was never safe to assume that Brits would remain EU citizens for ever.
Last time I was in Belfast was March 2019. It was buzzing, people in good form and optimistic, shops and restaurants full. This time it was completely different. People downcast, shops in the city centre empty and many boarded up. Very depressing.
Interestingly, despite the rather obvious defeat for Macron, rejecting the 31 other amendments in this bill is sending a strong message to the far right in France.
Of course, there’s always at least one idiot calling for a referendum!
Seems the visa-free access for Brits with property in France was, according to a report in Connexion, shot down on a technicality
The Conseil, considering views presented by a group of left-wing MPs opposed to the second-home automatic visa, ruled that the idea’s inclusion was contrary to article 45 of the Constitution. This says that amendments to a bill must be linked to the ideas proposed in the original text presented to parliament.
The ‘automatic visa’ was not in the original text presented by the government a year ago, but was added by Senator Martine Berthet as an amendment which was then adopted by the senators as a new bill article.
Senator Berthet (Les Républicains, Savoie) had previously told The Connexion she hoped the link would be seen to be sufficiently clear as the bill relates to similar matters such as residency cards and border control.
Looks like Senator Berthet was flying on a wing and a prayer.
The British press gleefully focusses on disappointed property buyers. Seems a bit silly as obtaining a long-stay visa is not overly onerous. I doubt it will have a significant effect on property demand.
I have been following this for ages and it’s not a defeat for Macron… surely it’s what he suggested in the first place… before all the bitzy things were added by them uvvers…
Not really. The controversial bits were added by the Far Right. The Bill that has cleared the constitutional Committee is pretty much what it started out as.
The ‘limb’ was amendments added by the right wing, whom Macron was politically obliged to appease. Quite possibly amendments he had from the outset no intention of keeping.
We cannot say for certain that the President of France, before ‘agreeing’ to support the controversial amendments, may have already held private discussions with members close to the Constitutional Council. However, as an experienced and proactive business man, I would not be surprised if he had managed this play of statesmanship.
The Council’s ruling leaves Macron’s original ‘trunk’ of the bill intact while cutting off the offensive ‘limbs’. Excellent result for both Macron and France.
The amendment for British property owners was a distraction and probably never had much chance of success as currently written. I’m sure Senator Berthet has not abandoned the challenge, and there may still be some further developments on that score.
Agreed - I think Macron played it very well and cleverly; when needing the Right’s support to get his Bill through, he allowed them to make amendments most of which he suspected would be removed by the Constitutional Committee - “Not me guv! It woz them wot did it!”
Sénatrice Berthet has been working her way up the political ladder for 20 years, so I feel she may have better things to do. After all, the second home owners do not vote so having now shown the anglophone community in the Savoie that she is on their side it is job done I imagine.
When I was there in the '70s, very frightening, couldn’t wait to get over the border but got knocked back to Newry because did not have the correct docs.
I was there on a school trip in the sixties, before the troubles started. A popular schoolboy destination because you couldn’t buy Spangles in the South. It was a far wealthier place than the Republic. I was there in the eighties too, watchtowers everywhere and troops on the street with a struggling economy. The contrast in 2019 was amazing. Things had really turned a corner and it was great to see the increasing prosperity and positive attitudes. That all seems to have evaporated now
…
