UK facing ‘potential brain drain’ as emigration to EU countries soars 30% since Brexit vote, new study shows
A new study has revealed that Brexit has been the “dominant driver” in the exodus of Britons to EU countries. Emigration is up 30 percent since the 2016 Brexit vote, with the authors warning the UK faces a “potential brain drain.”
Analysis by a joint research team consisting of an Oxford-in-Berlin partnership and the WZB Social Science Centre, also in Berlin, has found that migration from the UK to EU states rose by an average of 73,642 a year between 2016 and 2018. In stark contrast, the average between 2008-2015 was 56,832 people a year, according to the researchers.
Explaining the huge wave of migration, the co-authors of the study – Daniel Tetlow and Daniel Auer – said that the 2016 Brexit referendum had been the “dominant driver.” They likened the migration flow to one caused by a serious economic or political crisis, and warned it would likely have serious consequences for academia in the UK.
The study – which analysed OECD and Eurostat data – also revealed that UK citizens obtaining an EU member-state passport increased by 500 percent across the continent and, in the case of Germany, by a staggering 2,000 percent.
Negotiations between London and Brussels to strike a new trade deal from 2021 have stalled in recent months. A major stumbling block centers on EU state aid rules, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson refusing to be bound by them.
Johnson’s administration has also refused to sign up to EU environmental standards and labor laws, insisting that the main point of Brexit was to allow the UK to decide its own regulations.
The UK and EU have until December 31 – the end of the transition phase – to reach an agreement. If not, the UK will move on to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and be subject to the import and export tariffs that come with that.
Explaining the huge wave of migration, the co-authors of the study – Daniel Tetlow and Daniel Auer – said that the 2016 Brexit referendum had been the “dominant driver.” They likened the migration flow to one caused by a serious economic or political crisis, and warned it would likely have serious consequences for academia in the UK.
The study – which analysed OECD and Eurostat data – also revealed that UK citizens obtaining an EU member-state passport increased by 500 percent across the continent and, in the case of Germany, by a staggering 2,000 percent.
Negotiations between London and Brussels to strike a new trade deal from 2021 have stalled in recent months. A major stumbling block centers on EU state aid rules, with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson refusing to be bound by them.
Johnson’s administration has also refused to sign up to EU environmental standards and labor laws, insisting that the main point of Brexit was to allow the UK to decide its own regulations.
The UK and EU have until December 31 – the end of the transition phase – to reach an agreement. If not, the UK will move on to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and be subject to the import and export tariffs that come with that.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.