Brexit in Vienna: a busy July

These are busy times in London and Vienna.  A new Prime Minister will take office in London shortly.  The UK is due to leave the EU by 31 October at the latest.  In Austria, a new Austrian interim government was sworn in on 3 June, with elections due on 29 September.

The UK has been working closely with the Austrian government over the past three years on important Brexit-related issues including: the rights of UK citizens in Austria; future arrangements for business, education, healthcare, security and environmental issues; and other aspects of our future relationship.

Many elements of that relationship, including on citizens’ rights, will be different depending on whether we have a negotiated exit from the EU, or a so-called no-deal Brexit.  While the UK government believes that leaving with a deal remains the best way of securing a successful Brexit, the government also sees it as responsible and prudent to make preparations to minimise disruption in the event of a possible no deal.  That, too, has required detailed discussions with our Austrian partners.

I have therefore been delighted to take the opportunity recently to meet members of the Austrian government to discuss Brexit, including citizens’ rights, and the bilateral relationship more widely.  I have recently had the honour of meeting Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein; Vice Chancellor and Minister for Constitutional Affairs, Reforms, Deregulation and Justice, Clemens Jabloner; Minister for Economy and Digitalisation, Elisabeth Udolf-Strobl; Minister for Education, Science and Research, Iris Rauskala; and the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection, Brigitte Zarfl.  In the next few days I hope also to meet the Minister of the Interior, Wolfgang Peschorn, and the Minister of Defence, Thomas Starlinger.

In all these meetings, I have expressed our gratitude for the good co-operation so far with the Austrian authorities on the practical aspects of preparing for Brexit; and have set out areas where we believe further work is necessary in the event of a no-deal Brexit, for example relating to protecting access to healthcare for UK citizens in Austria in the event of a no-deal.  I am grateful for our Austrian hosts for their understanding; and for the broad and deep work which has already taken place.  I and my team look forward to continuing this in the coming months and to continuing to represent British interests in Austria, not least the interests of British nationals living here.