Latest news with #WithdrawalAgreement
Hamilton Spectator
21-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Transaction in Own Shares
Transaction in Own Shares 21 July, 2025 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Shell plc (the 'Company') announces that on 21 July, 2025 it purchased the following number of Shares for cancellation. Aggregated information on Shares purchased according to trading venue: These share purchases form part of the on- and off-market limbs of the Company's existing share buy-back programme previously announced on 2 May 2025. In respect of this programme, BNP PARIBAS SA will make trading decisions in relation to the securities independently of the Company for a period from 2 May 2025 up to and including 25 July 2025. The on-market limb will be effected within certain pre-set parameters and in accordance with the Company's general authority to repurchase shares on-market. The off-market limb will be effected in accordance with the Company's general authority to repurchase shares off-market pursuant to the off-market buyback contract approved by its shareholders and the pre-set parameters set out therein. The programme will be conducted in accordance with Chapter 9 of the UK Listing Rules and Article 5 of the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014/EU dealing with buy-back programmes ('EU MAR') and EU MAR as 'onshored' into UK law from the end of the Brexit transition period (at 11:00 pm on 31 December 2020) through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020), and as amended, supplemented, restated, novated, substituted or replaced by the Financial Services Act, 2021 and relevant statutory instruments (including, The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (SI 2019/310)), from time to time ('UK MAR') and the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 (the 'EU MAR Delegated Regulation') and the EU MAR Delegated Regulation as 'onshored' into UK law from the end of the Brexit transition period (at 11:00 pm on 31 December 2020) through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020), and as amended, supplemented, restated, novated, substituted or replaced by the Financial Services Act, 2021 and relevant statutory instruments (including, The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations (SI 2019/310)), from time to time. In accordance with EU MAR and UK MAR, a breakdown of the individual trades made by BNP PARIBAS SA on behalf of the Company as a part of the buy-back programme is detailed below. Enquiries Media: International +44 (0) 207 934 5550; U.S. and Canada: LEI number of Shell plc: 21380068P1DRHMJ8KU70 Classification: Acquisition or disposal of the issuer's own shares Attachment
Spectator
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
What Suella Braverman's plan for quitting the ECHR gets right
This morning's paper on leaving the ECHR from Suella Braverman and the Prosperity Institute doesn't say much that hasn't been said somewhere before. It reiterates the fairly obvious political case for a UK ECHR exit. It talks about the erosion of sovereignty over immigration, policing and vast swathes of social policy; the baneful 'living instrument' doctrine that means we have now effectively given a blank cheque to a self-selecting and unaccountable bench to second-guess our democratic process in ever more intrusive ways; the Strasbourg court's arrogation of powers, such as the right to order interim measures never contemplated in 1950; and so on. The paper then goes in detail through the legal machinery of disentanglement, starting with the obvious point that the Convention itself provides for a right to leave on giving six months' notice, and then describing the legislative and administrative processes involved. But don't be fooled. This may not be exciting reading (Suella is, after all, a lawyer); but the appearance of this document at this time matters a lot. One very significant point is that the paper in one place meets head-on the arguments lazily trotted out as slam-dunk wins for the case against withdrawal. Does the UK's good reputation depend on ECHR membership? Doubtful. There are plenty of countries not members of regional agreements that are admirably free (think Canada and Australia), not to mention ECHR members that, shall we say, leave something to be desired (stand up, Azerbaijan). Reform the ECHR from within? We've tried that, and it's had no effect in the areas that matter. Tweak the Human Rights Act? It won't work with the Strasbourg court sitting in the background waiting to pounce. The right of the EU to withdraw police cooperation under the Withdrawal Agreement if we denounce the ECHR? Bring it on, and if need be, call their bluff. They have as much to lose as we have: it's a small risk, and one worth taking. What of the elephant in the room, the Good Friday Agreement? More awkward, but nothing insuperable here. For one thing, it doesn't actually bar the UK from withdrawing from the ECHR. Instead it talks much more vaguely of the incorporation of ECHR provisions in Ulster law and court remedies to enforce it. If necessary, there must be some political horse-trading here, and in the end, Westminster must be prepared to put its foot down and face down Irish nationalists if necessary in the interest of a common rights regime in the UK. To this extent, the Braverman document has continued the process of moving ECHR scepticism away from the fringe and placing it firmly in the range of the sayable and even politically plausible. More to the point, it also fills another void. So far, calls to ditch the ECHR have suffered from a similar difficulty to that which faced the Leave movement right up to the 2016 referendum and might well have tipped it into defeat: it has been heavy on criticism but light on practicalities. By laying down in some detail the measures to be taken to remove the ECHR from our law both in form and substance and opening these to debate, this may well reassure electors otherwise wavering. Looking more widely, today's events could just indicate a subtle shift in political tectonics. Doubts about the way the ECHR is chipping away at the institutions of this country are engaging electors who might previously have shrugged off human rights as something remote and unconcerning. Whenever they read of an undeserving visitor to this country allowed to stay, often at our expense as taxpayers, on the basis of family life here or possible beastliness abroad, they increasingly connect this with the ECHR; so too when, as a harassed commuter or housewife, they find they cannot go about their business because of some demonstration said to be protected by a European right to cause inconvenience to the public. Nor is it only electors. Teasingly, this morning's Telegraph said that Suella's proposals had cross-party backing not only from key figures on the Tory right (predictable: after all, even Kemi has said she is open to talk of abandoning the Strasbourg regime) and also from Reform, whose position has always been clear, but also from the DUP and even some from blue Labour (no names yet, but an educated guess might light on figures like Jonathan Brash, the free-thinking MP for Hartlepool). Whisper it quietly, but human rights scepticism is becoming the new mainstream. Defenders of the Strasbourg status quo are shrinking to an increasingly small caucus of senior Labour figures, Tory grandees and a motley collection of urban intellectuals and academics. It's quite possible that within a few years, ECHR enthusiasm will have declined to a niche interest in much the same way as, say, Euroscepticism did twenty years ago. Now that's a change worth contemplating.
Local France
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Another British student in France hits admin roadblock
Last month, The Local reported that a student hit an administrative roadblock, when she reapplied for the government-backed Visale rent guarantor scheme so she can remain in halls of residence for the final year of her degree. When we contacted Action Logement, the agency that operates the scheme, at the time, a spokesperson told us: 'This was an administrative error, as the residence permit issued under Article 50 of the Withdrawal Agreement for British nationals does indeed allow them to live, work, and study in France. Advertisement 'Students in question should therefore be eligible for Visale, even if their residence permit does not mention that they are a student, provided they can provide proof of their studies.' According to the spokesperson, Visale staff had been given updated and corrected information, and that affected students could either log on to the website or contact the call centre, on the free phone line 09 70 800 800. The phone line is staffed Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm. But appears that the issue isn't completely resolved – though, now, it seems that persistence and getting past the algorithm and to an actual administrator does work. READ ALSO Brexit residency rights in France: Where to go for help A second British student living legally in France with an Article 50 Withdrawal Agreement residency card has reported extended difficulties getting the system to recognise their right to live, work and study in France. In both cases the issue was the same - the students hold the post-Brexit carte de séjour residency card known as Article 50 TUE or WARP, which authorises " toutes activités professionnelles ". But university administrators rejected the applications because their card does not have the word étudiant (student) on it - despite the post Brexit card allowing both study, any kind of work or living in France without work. The good news is that, after reading our original article, and pointing out their residency card was a 'Brexit' one, their Visale application was accepted – but only after several days of back and forth, numerous rejections and, once, having their file suddenly closed. Unlike the previous case, which was a renewal for a third-year student, this was for a young man heading to university in south-west France for the first time, at the height of the annual summer rush for student accommodation. The family, who prefer to remain anonymous, said that the delay had meant they risked missing out on suitable student accommodation. 'I saw your article and thought, 'we're in exactly the same situation here',' the student's mother told us. 'We tried different ways and they were all rejected. We sent his details off about 20 times. We called and spoke to someone and said, 'Look, it's just you're just not recognising your residency card because it doesn't have the word student on it'. 'And, she said, 'that's fine, don't worry, I'll get somebody to manually verify it'.' Even after this conversation, it took several more attempts to confirm the information. Advertisement She added: 'We've got an apartment holding, and they can't hold it any more. 'We spent ages looking for an apartment – and they obviously want a guarantee, but we couldn't provide it.' The Local contacted Action Logement for a comment on this second issue. However, only a few hours after speaking to The Local, the mother confirmed via email that their latest attempt to secure a Visale guarantee was successful. Neither of these cases are unique. After the first case this summer, Justine Wallington, co-chair of post-Brexit help group Remain in France Together told us: 'Sadly, this sort of misunderstanding is something we continue to see across various areas and [we have] recently escalated issues for bourses [grants] Crous and university applications.' This is the sort of worrying, frustrating administration issue that will continue to arise for those Britons living in France with their very particular post-Brexit rights. As Wallington pointed out: 'The issue is often not bad intent but a lack of awareness among frontline staff who aren't always properly informed about the specific protections the Withdrawal Agreement provides.' Right now, determination and an understanding of post-Brexit rights appear – just about – to be enough to cut through administration blockages. The concern is, as time passes, how long that will stand, without efforts to streamline systems now. Have you had problems dealing with French administration because you live in France on a post-Brexit Withdrawal Agreement residency card? Let us know in the comments section below, or by emailing news@
Local Spain
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
How Brits in Spain can renew their temporary residency TIE card
On December 31st 2020, the Brexit transition period ended, and the UK officially left the European Union. Earlier that year, in July 2020, the Spanish government set out rules for the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) for Britons residing in Spain, thus guaranteeing the rights of UK nationals living in Spain before January 1st 2021. This also included a new TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero or Foreigner Identity Card) for Britons with WA rights, a document which stipulates this 'protected' status. Brits with EU green residency certificates have been actively encouraged to exchange them for the biometric TIEs to make administrative processes and travelling easier for them. The exchange has never been made compulsory though increasingly strongly advised, especially as the EU's new Entry Exit System comes into force later on this year. UK nationals who didn't have the green residency documents before July 6th 2020 were also issued these Withdrawal Agreement TIE residency cards if they could prove residency in Spain before the end of 2020. Those who had lived in Spain for less than five years were issued with a temporary TIE which is valid for five years. This July 2025 marks five years since the TIE cards first became available to Brits, meaning that from now until the end of the year, many Brits in Spain will be needing to renew their TIEs and exchange it for a permanent TIE, which lasts 10 years. If you had lived in Spain for more than five years you will have already been issued a permanent TIE and so will not have to renew it in 2025 if you got your card in 2020. According to Spain's Ministry of Inclusion and Migration, you can renew your TIE from 30 days before it expires and until 90 days after its expiration date. In order to be able to renew your TIE you need to meet the following criteria: Have no criminal records in Spain Not be a citizen of the European Union, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area You must not be prohibited from entering the country Have a valid and passport You must have a residence permit Have either private medical insurance or be covered by social security If you have dependent children, they must be enrolled in school while they are in Spain Not be outside of Spain for prolonged periods of absences You can renew your TIE in one of two ways – either in person at your local foreigners' office (Extranjería) or police station, or online. Be aware though, if you choose to do it online, you will still need to go in person at some point in order for the police to take your fingerprints and go and pick up your new card. In person If applying in person, the first step is to make an appointment or cita previa at your local foreigners' office or police station. Be aware that this step can take a long time because often there are no appointments available. The problem is that the system is often hijacked by criminal gangs who book up all the appointments using bots so that they can later sell them. In theory, getting an appointment should be free, but when there aren't any, you may be forced to pay. Although Spanish police have arrested numerous groups involved in this practice, the issue keeps happening. The problem seems to be particularly bad in areas with a large foreign populations such as Alicante, Valencia, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona. There are a few tricks in trying to get your appointment, including going online very early in the morning, trying on certain days of the week etc. For example, in Madrid and Barcelona, the system typically releases slots between 5:00 and 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Read our guide to find out your options. Once you finally have your appointment, you will need to gather the following documents to take with you. These are: A completed EX-23 form. Valid passport or copy and renewal application if expired. Proof of payment of fee Form 790, code 012. A recent passport-sized photo. Your current TIE. A recent padrón certificate (within the last 3 months). It's not always mandatory, but it's recommended. In some cases, proof of continuous residence, such as rental contracts, electricity or water bills, or registration history may also be required. There is differing information online about how much it costs to renew a Withdrawal Agreement TIE, According to Spain's State Bulletin BOE, the price for a Brexit TIE is €12, although it does also mention that a renewal costs €19,30. Once you given all your information and documentation at your appointment, you will get your fingerprints taken in a process known as toma de huellas. Y ou'll typically need to apply for another appointment to go and pick your card up once it's ready. Online To apply online, you will need a digital certificate or cl@ve. First access the MERCURIO platform here. Complete form EX23 online and attach scans of your documents as listed above, as well as proof that you've paid the online fee. For a full step by step guide on how to do this, read our guide here. Sign with AutoFirma and download your receipt to make sure it's been sent correctly. You will then still need to apply for your appointment for the fingerprinting and collection of your card. The process of fingerprinting includes taking digital copy of your fingerprints on a small special machine, similar to what you may have seen at airports in certain countries. You may have to hold your fingers on for a certain length of time and put different parts on the screen in order for it to be fully completed. In both cases, online or in person, at the end of the appointment, you will receive a receipt to collect your card when it's ready. This will typically be within a period of one month, but it could be longer depending on where you live and how soon you can get a collection appointment. Your new card will look fairly similar to your old TIE card but under Type of Permit it will read "PERMANENTE ARTICULO 50 TUE" or "RESI Y TRABAJO PERMANTE NACIONAL DE REINO UNIDO" on the front, and "EMITIDO BAJO ART.18-4 ACUERDA RETIRADA" on the back.
Local Spain
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
Brits in Spain face appointment nightmare for residency card renewals
On July 6th 2020, the Spanish government started to issue a special Withdrawal Agreement (WA) residency document to Britons who were residing in Spain. In fact, this TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero or Foreigner Identity Card) is pretty much the same as that given to other non-EU nationals, but it refers to the Withdrawal Agreement the UK reached with the EU. Before July 6th 2020, UK nationals registering as residents received the Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión, more commonly known as the green residency document that EU nationals living in Spain get. Therefore, the issuing of the Brexit TIE was symbolic for Brits in Spain in that it highlighted their new status as non-EU nationals. The residency document also became more important than ever in terms of proving the residency rights of Brits legally residing in Spain before January 1st 2021, be it for travel in and out of the country, work matters etc. July 2025 now marks five years since the Brexit TIE came to be, and with it many of those with a temporary TIE are up for renewal - more specially those who got their card in July 2020 or soon after. To clarify, UK nationals who hadn't yet completed five years of residency in Spain when they applied for the TIE were issued the TIE temporal. The card is valid for five years, after which you can get a permanent residency card which has to be renewed every ten years instead. According to data from Spain's Immigration Observatory, 5,560 Brits carried out the process in July 2020, 3,871 of whom exchanged their green certificate for a TIE and 1,689 who didn't have a Spanish residency document before. This figure then rose to 9,217 in August 2020, 12,072 in September, 14,492 in October, 17,647 in November and peaked in December with 22,171 TIE applications, which means there will be thousands of Brits in Spain needing to renew their TIEs in the coming months. The main problem they face is getting appointments for this, the dreaded cita previa. Manual widget for ML (class="ml-manual-widget-container") That's largely because the online appointment system of many of Spain's extranjería foreign offices and police stations has been hijacked by criminal groups that use bots to book all or most available spaces seconds after they're made available. These gangs then sell the appointments to desperate foreigners for up to €90 when they should be completely free. Gestoría agencies and law firms in Spain that handle foreigners' residency applications are often complicit in this racket, as they always seem to be able to get appointments as well. Spanish police have arrested numerous groups who've specialised in carrying out this illicit practice in several regions of Spain, but it just keeps happening. The cita previa scam doesn't affect all Spanish provinces equally as the problem seems to be particularly bad in areas with a large foreign population (including Britons) such as Alicante, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca or Barcelona. In these provinces, even if appointments aren't being booked out by bots, the high number of foreigners and few time slots available is also working against applicants. "Has anyone managed to renew their TIE which was given under the Withdraw Agreement? I'm finding it IMPOSSIBLE to get a 'cita previa' in the whole Barcelona province and starting to worry about time running out on me," one Briton wrote on a Facebook forum. Another user wrote: "Just managed to get two appointments in Alicante. We have been trying every couple of hours for a few days now with digital certificates. Keep trying and good luck!" "I've been trying online for weeks in Valencia using a digital certificate but also without success. 'No hay citas disponibles' Not sure where to turn next," said another UK national hoping to renew their TIE. "Most of my family has already renewed under the Brexit Agreement, I will for the rest of us in the autumn. In Extremadura," one more person wrote, confirming that regions with low foreign populations such as Extremadura aren't facing the same appointment backlog. The Local contacted the British Embassy in Spain for comment, who said: 'We are aware that some UK Nationals in certain areas of the country have had difficulties making an appointment and we have asked the Spanish Government to make more appointments available'. "We have seen this issue ease in certain places as a result. We've also been advising UK nationals to check for an appointment at various points of the day and consider looking at other offices in their province (ie. not necessarily their nearest one)." "The residence document that identifies you as a beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement must be renewed 30 days before the document expires, or within 90 days of its expiry date," states the Spanish government's FAQ about Brexit and the current situation of UK nationals and their families living in Spain. Fortunately, Britons and their family members who need to get a new TIE card will not lose their residency rights if they are unable to get an appointment within three months of their card expiring. But that's not to say that having an expired residency card won't cause issues for them in the long run, from travel to official matters. Some Brits on forums have said that those who are attempting to renew prior to their card expiring are being told to wait until it's actually expired, but that this depends on the rules of each provincial extranjería office or police station. In all, some 403,925 UK nationals were officially registered as residing in Spain in 2024. 'Estimates suggest that some 50,000 British citizens resident in Spain have not yet applied for their TIE,' Spain's Interior Ministry stated recently, but these are Brits who are still holding onto the EU green residency certificates, under the EU's new Entry Exit System.
