Bill regulating residence within EEA sent to Parliament

Zagreb - The Croatian government on Friday sent to parliament a bill on regulating temporary and permanent residence of citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), and the bill contains provisions that would prevent unregulated status for citizens of Great Britain and Northern Ireland upon the United Kingdom's exit from the EU.

The EEA enables expanding the EU's single market to non-EU members. The EEA links the European Union member states and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland into an internal market governed by the same basic rules.

Interior Minister Davor Božinović said that, having in mind the fact that Brexit negotiations are still going on, citizens of Great Britain should be enabled to retain the status they currently enjoy.

Within defined deadlines they will be expected to seek new residence permits so that they can enjoy unobstructed stay and work in Croatia.