The presentation can only be copied or altered for non-commercial personal or educational use. © Citizenship Foundation Charity Reg No 801360 Author: S. Kilou www.gogivers.org

Wednesday 29th March 2017

Leaving the EU Goodbye!

EU countries can also trade freely with each other. People from EU member countries are free to move to any other EU country to live and work. EU countries can also trade freely with each other. The EU makes lots of important laws which all member countries have to follow. Ask if children know what the word ‘trade’ means. If they are unsure, explain that it means to buy and sell.

Because the EU makes laws that the UK has to follow, the UK (like other EU member countries) doesn’t have full control over all of our laws. Some people think this means the EU has too much power and control over the UK. They would prefer the UK to be in charge of its own laws and decisions and be a sovereign country again.

On 23rd June 2016, people were asked to vote on whether the UK should stay in the EU, or leave. The majority of people voted to leave.

Today, our Prime Minister Theresa May will write to Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, to formally declare that the UK is leaving the EU. Then the official process of leaving the EU will begin... Theresa May Donald Tusk

March 2019 March 2018 March 2017

Yeah! Why can’t Britain just leave today? Two years is ages away! I’m going to be at secondary school by the time we leave the EU! Yeah! Why can’t Britain just leave today? Two years might sound like a long time, but there is a lot to discuss! All the other 27 EU countries will need to come to an agreement about complex issues.

Will EU citizens still be able to live and work in Britain? Will British citizens still be able to live and work in EU member countries? Will EU citizens still be able to live and work in Britain? Which laws will change in Britain and which will stay the same? Will Britain have to pay extra to trade with EU countries?

Negotiations will cover many other areas, including: One priority will be to discuss the rights of expatriate citizens. These are people who were born in one EU country, but moved to live in another country. 2 million British citizens live in EU countries 3 million EU citizens live in Britain Negotiations will cover many other areas, including: The right to remain Employment rights Welfare rights Pension rights

The process of leaving the EU will enable Britain to have more control over immigration laws. Once Britain has left the EU, it is likely to be more difficult for EU citizens to come and live here. However, leaving the EU will only affect immigration from the European Economic Area. Britain already has control of immigration laws relating to countries in the rest of the world. Can you think of any countries outside Europe?

At the moment, EU countries can trade freely with each other because they are in the single market. Once the UK leaves the EU, new rules about the UK’s trade with EU countries need to be negotiated and agreed. If a new trade deal is not agreed, the UK may have to pay tariffs to trade with the EU.

We don’t always agree with each other! The road ahead over the next two years is uncertain. People have lots of different opinions about what will happen when we leave the EU. People also have lots of opinions about whether leaving will be good or bad for the UK. We don’t always agree with each other!

However, it’s important for all of us to respect opinions that we do not agree with. It is only by being tolerant and coming together that we can build a strong, caring community.