Originally Posted by
ATC Watcher
Maybe I missed something but as I understood it the withdrawal agreement is just a framework. The meat on the bones have still to be negotiated during the current year and if there is no agreement it is back to a so called "hard Brexit" next February , and in that case teh socila benefits and special status during the transition for UK residents will end. Or did I get that wrong ?
I am afraid you are mostly wrong.
The purpose of the withdrawal agreement is to safeguard some interests deemed critical by one or the other of the 2 parties, using a "grand-fathering" approach.
These points are settled independently of the existence or absence of a future bilateral deal between Great Britain and Europe.
The text of the agreement is here:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-cont...12019W/TXT(02)
I suggest you particularly read the part II which concerns the citizens' rights.
Basically it says that the rights that were granted to UK citizens residing in continental Europe and of European citizens residing in UK are grandfathered after a registration process.
These rights encompass residency rights, work permit rights, employment rights, recognition of qualifications and social security rights.
The other parts concern economical interests, customs, licencing rights, Ireland and some other points.
I repeat : this agreement safeguards a number of things INDEPENDENTLY of the outcome of the deal presently negotiated between UK and Europe.
So they are not conditioned by the deal outcome.