Hello everyone,
Following
· the conclusion of Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement with the EU on November 14,
· its defeat in Parliament on January 15 by a historic majority of 203 votes
· the unsuccessful attempts, last week, by Geoffrey Cox to renegotiate the agreement
· the key votes planned in Parliament next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
And following British European Movement , France (BEMF) past events, notably :
· the joint BEMF/BiE meeting on halloween
· the successful dinner on November 23 with Richard Ashworth MEP as guest speaker
· the convivial Mince Pie and Mulled Wine Evening on December 12th
…..all three attended by over 27 people, the BEMF is now planning a new Spring meeting to be held on April 10th, 12 days after the current (non extended) March 29 deadline for leaving the EU (and 2 days after the 115th anniversary of the 1904 Entente Cordiale, negotiated from 1898 to 1904 and finally signed on April 8 1904 in Paris)
This new event will take the form of a debate organised as follows:
1. An address by Christopher Chantrey, Vice Chairman of the British Community Committee in France and Treasurer of British in Europe (BiE) who will update us on the BiE’s negotiations with the French Ministry of the Interior and give us his his views on the situation concerning our cartes de séjour post Brexit (see also the attched files)
2. An open debate on our situation and concerns as the Third Country nationals we will all become in France, post Brexit, notably touching on
· Where does the UK go from here ?
· What will Brexit mean for me, personally ?
The Debate will take place next month (in just 4 1/2 weeks, so save the date !) :
· at 7pm on Wednesday April 10
· in the Saint George’s Anglican Church parish hall at 7 rue Auguste Vacquerie in the XVI th arrondissemen( (near the place de l’Etoile)
The debate, itself, will be followed by a verre de l’amitié enabling you to meet old friends and, of course, to network.
To cover our costs (hire of hall and wine) we will be asking everyone to make a contribution of €10 payable at the door.
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Everyone is invited (not just members of the British European Movement, France) but we invite all of you, who are not already members, to join the BEMF.
The annual subscription is just €25, payable by cheque or bank transfer, and that also covers simultaneous membership of the European Movement UK whose Newsletters and periodic mail updates you will receive regularly .
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The debate promises to be a very positive event and hopefully it will respond to many of the questions you are asking yourself at this critical time and in a much less formal and more open way than the British Embassy Outreach meetings some of you may already have attended
No holds barred !
We hope to see as many of you as possible on April 10 !
Best regards from
Geoff (Chair, BEMF), Elisabeth (Treasurer) and Dan (Secretary)
