journal article
Open Access
Jan 01, 2025
EU citizens’ residence rights after Brexit: the CSI justice campaign, a grassroots initiative by the3million
Abstract
In the aftermath of the 2016 June referendum, the right to live in the UK for over 3 million EU citizens seemed compromised. Surprisingly enough, one of the requirements entailed having to subscribe to Comprehensive Sickness Insurance (CSI) during periods of professional inactivity, causing a widespread panic among EU migrant communities. For some EU citizens, CSI became a discriminatory barrier to permanent residency and citizenship in particular for people with low income, students, carers, women, stay-at-home parents, the self-sufficient, the retired or disabled people. Therefore, it became a battle for pro-European grassroots organisations, such as the3million, which launched the “CSI justice campaign” in 2022. This paper aims at discussing the psychological impact and the consequences the CSI requirement had on EU citizens who felt anxious and insecure facing challenges and disruption to gain access to their rights. In addition, we will try to evaluate to what extent the3million campaign participated in clarifying the cumbersome and burdensome process of the permanent residency application, but also in condemning the Conservative governments’ callous approach to immigration and the Home Office’s failure to communicate information about CSI in the media.
Topics
No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →
References
42
[1]
Case C-247/20, VI v The Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, ECLI:EU:C:2022:177, [online], <https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?text=&docid=255423&pageIndex=0&doclang=en&mode=req&dir=&occ=first&part=1&cid=4408446>
[2]
Case C‑535/19, A v Latvijas Republikas Veselības ministrija, ECLI:EU:C:2021:114, [online]: <https://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/document.jsf?docid=244356&mode=lst&pageIndex=1&dir=&occ=first&part=1&text=&doclang=EN&cid=4404171>
[3]
Cornelis J. J. Laban et al., ‘Impact of a Long Asylum Procedure on the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Iraqi Asylum Seekers in The Netherlands', The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol. 192, No. 12, December 2004.
10.1097/01.nmd.0000146739.26187.15
[4]
Court of Justice of the European Union: Comprehensive Sickness Insurance, Volume 822: debated on Tuesday , [24 May 2022, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2022-05-24/debates/622FBB7D-9A6C-4D5C-A371-D608884F06BB/CourtOfJusticeOfTheEuropeanUnionComprehensiveSicknessInsurance?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-307F7A66-F0A7-41DB-BF9C-DE82C2C4D64E>
[5]
De Mars, Sylvia, “Economically Inactive EU Migrants and the NHS: Unreasonable Burdens Without Real Links?”, European Law Review, Vol. , 39, No. 6, p. 770, 2014.
10.2139/ssrn.2562262
[6]
Directive 2004/38/Ec of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 , April 2004, Official Journal of the European , <Union, <https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32004L0038>
[7]
Dunin-Wasowicz, Roch, “The scandal of CSI, the little-known loophole used to deny EU citizens permanent residency”, LSE, 17 March 2017, [online]: <https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2017/03/17/disheartened-and-disappointed-the-government-and-universities-have-failed-eu-citizens-over-comprehensive-sickness-insurance/>
[8]
European Commission, “Free Movement: Commission asks the UK to uphold EU citizens' rights”, Press release, 26 April 2012, [online]: <https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_12_417>
[9]
Gentleman, Amelia, The Windrush Betrayal, Guardian Faber, London, 2019.
[10]
Hatton, Nicolas, former CEO of the3million, [interview], 15 February 2024
[11]
Hawkins, Monique, Policy and Research Officer at the3million, [interview], 25 April 2024
[12]
Home Office, “EU Settlement Scheme quarterly statistics, December 2023”, Official Statistics, Gov.UK, 7 March 2024, [online]: <https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/eu-settlement-scheme-quarterly-statistics-december-2023/eu-settlement-scheme-quarterly-statistics-december-2023>
[13]
Home Office, “EU Settlement Scheme: statement of intent”, YouGov, 21 June 2018, [online]: <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eu-settlement-scheme-statement-of-intent/eu-settlement-scheme-statement-of-intent>
[14]
Home Office, “How many people have been granted settlement via the EU Settlement Scheme?”, 13 June 2024, [online]: <https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-system-statistics-year-ending-march-2024/how-many-people-have-been-granted-settlement-via-the-eu-settlement-scheme#s3>
[15]
House of Commons, “European Union Free Movement Directive 2004 (Disapplication)”, Vol. 552: debated on Wednesday , 31 October 2012, Hansard, Col. 238, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2012-10-31/debates/12103160000001/EuropeanUnionFreeMovementDirective2004(Disapplication)?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-12103160000195>
[16]
House of Commons, “The Government's negotiating objectives: the rights of UK and EU citizens”, Exiting the European Union Committee, 1 March 2017, p. 5, [online]: <https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmexeu/1071/1071.pdf>
[17]
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill, Volume 805: debated on Monday 14 September 2020, Hansard, Col. 1047, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2020-09-14/debates/575BCB35-452E-43E2-90AF-ED7E8446D76B/ImmigrationAndSocialSecurityCo-Ordination(EUWithdrawal)Bill?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-5E7B7CD3-52B8-4341-A7EE-1926E1961363>
[18]
Macdonald, Melissa and Hannah Wilkins, “EU Settlement Scheme”, Briefing paper no. 8584, 25 February 2020, House of Commons Library, [online]: <https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8584/CBP-8584.pdf>
[19]
May, Theresa, “PM's open letter to EU citizens in the UK”, Gov.UK, 19 October 2019, [online]: <https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pms-open-letter-to-eu-citizens-in-the-uk>
[20]
Nationality and Borders Bill, Vol. 819: debated on Monday , 28 February 2022, col. 574, Hansard, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2022-02-28/debates/DB808D67-CC61-45F1-8D46-B14B42CBB2E9/NationalityAndBordersBill?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-A621DF0B-486D-4F41-A7AE-5E827D16BBA1>
[21]
Nokes, Caroline, Draft Immigration (Provision of Physical Data) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018, Debated on Monday , 16 July 2018, Col. 12, Hansard, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2018-07-16/debates/672918f0-1e22-42e9-9b6f-9ea704ddf123/DraftImmigration(ProvisionOfPhysicalData)(Amendment)(EUExit)Regulations2018?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-532D1086-236C-4DD6-8533-BB25437814B7>
[22]
O'Carroll, Lisa, “Dutch woman with two British children told to leave UK after 24 years”, 28 December 2016, [online]: <https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/28/dutch-woman-with-two-british-children-told-to-leave-uk-after-24-years>
[23]
O'Carroll, Lisa, “EU citizens ‘bitterly disappointed' with post-Brexit rights offer”, The Guardian, 26 June 2017, [online]: <https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/26/eu-citizens-bitterly-disappointed-with-post-brexit-rights-offer>
[24]
O'Carroll, Lisa, “Scrap insurance rule for stay-at-home parents from EU, says Tory MP”, 30 December 2016, [online]: <https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/30/scrap-insurance-rule-stay-at-home-parents-eu-tory-mp-sarah-wollaston>
[25]
O'Carroll, Lisa, “Spanish UK resident feared insurance rule would force her to leave”, 30 December 2016, [online]: <https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/30/spanish-uk-resident-fears-insurance-loophole-will-force-her-to-leave>
[26]
Piper, Luke, “Letter to Kevin Foster MP and Tom Pursglove. Fixing Comprehensive Sickness Insurance - Amendment to Nationality and Borders Bill”, The3million, 21 November 2021, [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/t3m-letter-HO-CSIAmendment-23Nov2021.pdf>
[27]
Reimers, Kristin, Brexit and its psychological impact: A qualitative study on the well-being of EU-citizens based in the UK, Master's thesis, University of Chester, United Kingdom, 2018, p. 26.
[28]
Remigi, Elena, Véronique Martin and Tim Sykes, In Limbo: Brexit testimonies from EU citizens in the UK, Create Space Independent Publishing Platform, 2017, p. 168.
[29]
Sokol, Tomislav, “Comprehensive Sickness Insurance as a condition for EU citizens' residence in other member states: a need for reform?”, European Journal of Social Security, Vol. , 18, No. 4, 2016.
10.1177/138826271601800403
[30]
Susan Li, Angela Nickerson and Belinda J. Liddell, ‘The Relationship Between Post-Migration Stress and Psychological Disorders in Refugees and Asylum-Seekers', Current Psychiatry Reports, July 2016.
[31]
Taylor, Diane, “Portuguese man who has lived legally in UK since 2001 faces deportation”, The Guardian, 4 February 2024, [online]: <https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/04/portuguese-man-who-has-lived-legally-in-uk-since-2001-facing-deportation>
[32]
The Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations , <2006, <https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1003>
[33]
The3million, ‘About Us', [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/our-story>, (accessed 16 April 2024) ; The3million, ‘The Challenges of Obtaining Permanent Residence in the UK', 8 June 2017, [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/t3m-briefing-EU-ChallengesPermanentResidence-08Jun2017.pdf>
[34]
The3million, “EU Settlement Scheme Statistics”, [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/eu-settlement-scheme-statistics>
[35]
The3million, “I want to be the one to decide my future”, June 2017, [online], <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/How%20do%20European%20citizens%20experience%20the%20process%20of%20applying%20for%20the%20permanent%20residence%20certificate.pdf>
[36]
The3million, “Specialised Committee on Citizens' Rights”, newsletter, 29 June 2024, [online]: <https://mailchi.mp/the3million/newsletter741658-6042436?e=84a2cb9dd0>
[37]
The3million, “Ten urgent asks for the EU Settlement Scheme and the digitalization cliff-edge of ”, 31 December 2024”, 15 July 2024, [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/t3m-briefing-HO-First100Days-EUSS-Digitalisation-15Jul2024.pdf>
[38]
The3million, “The Challenges of Obtaining Permanent Residence in the UK. How do European citizens experience the process of applying for the permanent residence certificate”, June 2017, [online], <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/t3m-briefing-EU-ChallengesPermanentResidence-08Jun2017.pdf>
[39]
The3million, Briefing – “House of Lords Oral Questions”– Baroness Ludford – 24 May 2022, [online]: <https://the3million.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/t3m-briefing-HoLCSIDebate-23May2022.pdf>
[40]
UK Withdrawal from the EU and Potential Withdrawal from the Single Market, Volume 778: debated on Thursday , 26 January 2017, Col. 810, Hansard, [online]: <https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2017-01-26/debates/59755AA8-ED1B-4215-B3AE-C334CCE167D0/UKWithdrawalFromTheEUAndPotentialWithdrawalFromTheSingleMarket?highlight=comprehensive%20sickness%20insurance#contribution-AD6630B2-EE98-4377-8A09-84BCC759A7B6>
[41]
Vote Leave, “Restoring public trust in immigration policy - a points-based non-discriminatory immigration system”, 1 June 2016, [online]: <http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/restoring_public_trust_in_immigration_policy_a_points_based_non_discriminatory_immigration_system.html>
[42]
Zainab Akef, Senel Poyrazli and , Isabel Quintero, ‘An Exploration of the Lived Experiences and Psychological States of Migrants and Refugees', The Qualitative Report, Vol. 29, No. 1, 2024, pp. 68-88.
10.46743/2160-3715/2024.5555
Metrics
0
Citations
42
References
Details
- Published
- Jan 01, 2025
- Vol/Issue
- 31
- License
- View
Authors
Cite This Article
Marie Aouanes-Perriere (2025). EU citizens’ residence rights after Brexit: the CSI justice campaign, a grassroots initiative by the3million. Mémoire(s), identité(s), marginalité(s) dans le monde occidental contemporain, 31. https://doi.org/10.4000/1406w
Related
You May Also Like
Introduction
Romain Garbaye, Vincent Latour · 2025
La diversité et le multiculturalisme selon David Cameron, 2005-2011
Émilie De Witte · 2025
From Borders to Cells: The Evolution of British Immigration Detention, 1905-1970
Samuel Malby · 2025
Bibliographie générale
· 2007