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It can’t be an easy time to be a British Ambassador in Europe right now, with Brexit looming and still no clear answers on the horizon, Chris Sainty is certainly up against it. But for Sainty, Brexit is just one part of his job and there are still many positives to be found while the “bilateral agenda between Portugal and the UK is alive and well”.
In an interview this week with The Portugal News, Chris Sainty said that Brexit continues to be at the forefront of the work within the Embassy but that while the future is uncertain; there is still plenty to look forward to.
“There has been a long period of uncertainty which has been understandably frustrating but we need to be prepared for one of two scenarios, either Britain leaves with a deal or leaves without a deal on 31 October,” and the key for Britons living in Portugal is to be “prepared”.
“The UK government is working flat out for a deal,” said the Ambassador, “And we are getting around the country meeting people and reaching people through digital media to spread the important message that if you are not yet registered in Portugal then you should do this now.”
While the number of British residents gaining residency in Portugal has increased recently, the Ambassador suspects that there are still many people in the country who have not heeded the advice of the British government.
“This is a simple process,” he said, “and it is very, very important to do this as it is the surest way to protect your rights in Portugal as a British citizen. There is plenty of advice out there now, don’t wait until 31 October to find out more information.”
And while it may be confusing for British citizens throughout Europe as to what their rights will be after 31 October, those living in Portugal should consider themselves to be the “lucky” ones.
“British people are very lucky in Portugal. The Portuguese government is determined and committed to protecting the rights of the British here and for as little disruption to be caused as possible. Even in the case of a no deal the rights of Britons are protected in Portugal, in some other EU countries this is not so clear,” said Sainty.
With an increasingly diverse community to tend to and the pressing need to communicate the importance of residency in Portugal, the Ambassador and the team at the Embassy have been boosted with extra staff and have invested in spreading the word through various different means, including through social media.
“The British community is diverse but we hope to target the most vulnerable members of the community, who made need the most assistance.”
As the Brexit clock continues to tick towards the end of October it is hard to remember the work that a British Ambassador used to do in the past however, not all the time at the Embassy is tied up with Brexit.
“It is easy to get overwhelmed with leaving the EU but our relationship with Portugal is much more than this. Our mission is to promote Britain and to maintain the political, economic and commercial ties between the two countries.
“The volume of trade between Britain and Portugal continues to grow and inward investment to the UK is looking very healthy”, continued the Ambassador.
“We also have close historic security and defence ties, particularly concerning Atlantic facing issues and also work together on global themes such as climate change,” he explained, highlighting the involvement of a delegation of 35 British scientists at the Portugal Science Summit in Lisbon earlier this year. The bilateral agenda between Portugal and the UK is alive and well,” he said.
And as for the future: “My ambition is to get us past the Brexit episode with success and to continue to build bilateral foundations in the future.”
For further information about living in Portugal from the British government, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-portugal
Originally from the UK, Daisy has been living and working in Portugal for more than 20 years. She has worked in PR, marketing and journalism, and has been the editor of The Portugal News since 2019. Jornalista 7920
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These words from the British Ambassador ''we need to be prepared for one of two scenarios, either Britain leaves with a deal or leaves without a deal on 31 October,” This geezer must be a Boris Johnson Tory follower or he does not realsie or does not wish to recognise the law that the Uk parliament passed that prevents the Uk leaving without a deal.
By ERic from UK on 27 Sep 2019, 10:32
He said much the same at meeting in the algarve on Wednesday. Whilst we are being advised to swap our UK driving licence ASAP, we have until the end of next year. The problem is it takes 6 to 9 months to get a Portuguese licence. Whilst the guia {temporary licence} is ok for Portugal, it isn't abroad, which means you can't drive or hire a car. This is a major issue for those of us that travel frequently to the UK. It needs the consulate to lobby and get a definitive resolution to this problem.
By Nigel Judd from Alentejo on 27 Sep 2019, 20:14
The UK Parliament have passed a bill to prevent the UK government from leaving the EU without signing the Withdrawal Agreement, but this is a purely domestic matter within the UK. It requires the goodwill on the EU27 side to grant a further extension or instead, they may chose to abide by Article 50 of the EU law, and allow the UK to leave on 31st October without passing the Withdrawal Agreement through UK Parliament. The EU has already granted 3 extensions but if the UK Government forces the UK out of the EU by not requesting an extension, it's domestic UK law they will be breaking. It only requires one of the EU27 to veto a request for a further extension for the UK to leave with no Withdrawal Agreement. This all means that 'No deal' is definitely not off the table.
By Sue from Alentejo on 28 Sep 2019, 08:52