UK, Norway, Iceland Reach Agreement on Citizens’ Rights in Event of No-Deal Brexit, According to Reuters

Britain has reached an agreement with the EEA EFTA countries—Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway—regarding the rights of citizens in the event of a no-deal Brexit, as announced by the Icelandic government on Friday.

The agreement ensures that the rights of EEA EFTA citizens residing in the UK, as well as British citizens living in EEA EFTA countries, will be protected. This arrangement provides clarity and assurance that these individuals can continue to live and work in their respective countries regardless of the negotiations’ outcome between the UK and the EU.

Norway’s government also indicated on Friday that it has proposed legislation aimed at safeguarding the rights of Norwegians in the UK and Britons in Norway amidst potential no-deal scenarios. Last year, Britain and Norway established an agreement to apply similar principles to those of a Brexit deal in their bilateral relationship, and this new legislation extends those provisions to address a no-deal situation.

Norway’s Justice Minister, Tor Mikkel Wara, expressed hope for an orderly Brexit but emphasized the importance of being prepared for a situation where the UK might leave the EU without an agreement.

As the fifth-largest economy in the world, Britain is set to exit the EU on March 29. Prime Minister Theresa May seeks additional concessions from the EU to unify her divided Conservative Party around her already rejected exit plan.