To feel relieved that it’s not a no-deal outcome!

[Xnon]

Whether you’re Remain or Leave the fact is that Brexit is going ahead. I was genuinely scared of a no-deal outcome especially after the weird 2020 we have had.

I don’t know the full details of the deal but I’m just glad that there is a deal rather than no-deal at all. Anyone else feel the same?

Brexit: Boris Johnson hails free trade deal with EU

At least that’s something. I was worried about trading under WTO rules.

Thoughts?

Can't be this one

yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/how-the-government-is-handling-the-issue-of-brexit-in-the-uk

@MrsMiaWallis

I've always had my passport checked when travelling from one EU country to another

Really?

That's a surprise because I have driven over Europe loads and have NEVER had my passport checked when crossing borders - except when leaving Schengen to come into the UK.

In fact, the only clue there has been a border is the country sign.

Of course - when we went from Germany to Denmark,the authorities had set up a post checking who was coming in in trucks - because they were concerned about people trafficking. Because each country does still have control over its borders. Despite what people were repeatedly told.

France Italy and france Germany most definitely!

@MrsMiaWallis

France Italy and france Germany most definitely!

Well - based on all my border crossings

France - Belgium - Netherlands - Germany - Denmark - Norway (that was a fun trip)
France - Spain
France - Switzerland

I have never seen a border office.
I know that recently with Covid, they have put restrictions up.

The whole point of Schengen is to be able to have free travel without passing through passport and border controls.

www.schengenvisainfo.com/

No, wasn't checked france/Switzerland

Definitely the other two though.

I'm in Italy and have never had my passport checked between Italy and France/Austria/Croatia - once in Switzerland I think.

Actually in Switzerland they stop you to get you to buy the motorway pass - I can't remember if they checked the passports.

@MrsMiaWallis

No, wasn't checked france/Switzerland

Definitely the other two though.

You do agree though that the point of Schengen is to allow visa free travel between countries and that if you are not in Schengen (like the UK), then the UK DOES have border controls and we can check passports, look up databases and say who can come in or not.

And this will still be the same post Brexit.

The flawless EU system let poor Alice Gross down. I am unclear why you would argue against this in your own link. Mad.

@TerryHearn

So you're back.

What do you think happens at passport control?
What happened before Brexit and what will change post Brexit?
What will happen to our real time database access to EU crime databases?

I certainly haven't had my passport checked when once inside the Schengen zone. In many places the border posts have gone or you can just see an old vestige of them.

Before hand - most certainly yes. E.g in 1973 catching a train from Denmark, it was checked at the German border, and then at the Dutch border and then the UK border. Even back then they weren't checking between Denmark and Sweden.

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/priti-patel-says-post-brexit-border-controls-will-make-uk-safer-and-more-secure/ar-BB1ceEOT

But the UK will lose access to the EU's Schengen Information System II (SIS II), which is a database of alerts and instructions if a person of interest - such as a missing person or someone involved in terrorism-related activities, or objects connected to terrorism - are found as they enter or leave the UK.

The bloc has said it is legally impossible to offer SIS access to the UK.

Last month, the National Police Chiefs' Council's (NPCC) lead for Brexit, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Richard Martin, , said the Schengen Information System was checked 603 million times last year and the loss of access to the system will have a "massive impact" on officers.

"We have over four million alerts on the Schengen Information System about people, property and things that my officers need to look at," he said.

[quote chomalungma]@TerryHearn

So you're back.

What do you think happens at passport control?
What happened before Brexit and what will change post Brexit?
What will happen to our real time database access to EU crime databases?[/quote]
At UK passport control if you are on Europol or Interpol you flag up. This guy didn’t because Latvia didn’t think it relevant to add a note to his record to say he had murdered his wife.

Can you imagine the outrage if a terrorist enters Britain and kills people, and we weren't able to find out their past because we didn't have access to a database?

This is an extremely sterile argument from TerryHearn - out of the Mail stable "EU bad".

I must have imagined all those passport gates at Heathrow and Gatwick. But criminals are more clever and will use false documents to get through which law abiding folk like me wouldn't even think of.

At UK passport control if you are on Europol or Interpol you flag up. This guy didn’t because Latvia didn’t think it relevant to add a note to his record to say he had murdered his wife

So you recognise that it's important to have database access at passport control - something that we have had under the EU and now we don't have access to one of them and that this access can prevent crimes.

Well done for recognising that.

How does losing database access keep us safe?

You also recognise that because we have border controls, we can stop criminals from Europe coming into our country.

Something we could do before Brexit.
And now it's going to be harder.

Well done us.

These people won’t be coming here as they have no means to work here any more. Brexit stops that. Will a few criminal tourists slip through the net. I suppose so. But nothing compared to millions of workers who could come here, live here and work here. An EU National intent on committing crime will need to come here with their own financial means to support themselves and probably stay in a hotel for 3 months. Without a right to work they can’t legally earn any money nor stay here legally. They can’t get a job and they can’t rent a property. I think that will put a stop to lot of the shenanigans we have seen over the last couple of decades. They simply won’t come here so easily.

Of course, a database is only good if it's filled in correctly.

But it's no good if you can't access it.

How did database access stop this guy when we had access? It didn’t.

They simply won’t come here so easily

No doubt true.

An EU National intent on committing crime will need to come here with their own financial means to support themselves and probably stay in a hotel for 3 months

Are you sure on that?

www.gov.uk/guidance/visiting-the-uk-from-1-january-2021

EU, EEA and Swiss citizens will continue to be able to travel to the UK for holidays or short trips without needing a visa. You’ll be able to cross the UK border using a valid passport which should be valid for the whole time you are in the UK.

Doesn't mention money, hotels etc - and I believe they get 6 months here.

@TerryHearn

How did database access stop this guy when we had access? It didn’t.

As I said - a database is only good if it's filled in correctly.

It's useless if you haven't got access to it.

You have to reverse the question.
How many people has the database access prevented coming in to the UK?
And if we didn't have access to it, how many of those people would have been allowed in?

Why will a Latvian labourer come here post-Brexit for a 3 month holiday with no means of working or renting a property long term?

He won’t come here. He will go elsewhere.

It does beg the question. Why are the EU removing access to this system other than to cut their nose off? Do they want to prevent dangerous Brits travelling to the EU? No doubt we have a few. It works both ways.

@TerryHearn

Why will a Latvian labourer come here post-Brexit for a 3 month holiday with no means of working or renting a property long term?

He won’t come here. He will go elsewhere.

Really?

You think that people won't come here and find a way of working and staying here from EU countries post Brexit?