Law in Spain

Less than two weeks ago, Theresa May triggered what we all know as ‘Article 50’ which means that the two year separation process from the EU is now underway.

As with the Referendum in June last year, many expats, including several of our clients, immediately panicked thinking that their lives would be affected by all the changes that the UK leaving the EU would involve.

But now like then, the bottom line is BE PATIENT. Nobody actually knows as yet what the negotiations will arrive at during the next two years. So we just don’t know what changes will be made in respect of us ; living here/residency in Spain, working in Spain, receiving health care or education in Spain, receiving UK pensions here and owning property. All of these issues will of course need to be addressed in due course. But as for now, everything stays as it was prior to the start of negotiations.

The first meeting post triggering the Article for all the remaining 27 member states will take place on 29th April – the UK will not be able to take part in the negotiations.

It is very much a case of ‘wait and see’ as no one actually knows how this process will ‘pan out’. After all, there are 43 years of treaties, covering thousands of topics to unravel. And as this is the first time the Article has been triggered the process will pretty much be made up as they go along it appears!

It could even take more than the prescribed two years to reach an agreement but only if this were to be agreed by all 28 members (i.e. including the UK).