Page:Declaration by the United Kingdom on 31 December 1982 on the definition of the term “nationals”.pdf/2

 '''NOTE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC CONCERNING A DECLARATION BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND REPLACING THE DECLARATION ON THE DEFINITION OF THE TERM “NATIONALS” MADE AT THE TIME OF SIGNATURE OF THE TREATY OF ACCESSION OF 22 JANUARY 1972 BY THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TO THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES'''

Her Majesty’s Ambassador at Rome to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy

Sir,

On instruction from Her Majesty’s Principle Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, I have the honour to refer to the Treaty between Member States of the European Communities and the Kingdom of Denmark, Ireland, the Kingdom of Norway, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the accession of the latter States to the European Economic Community and to the European Atomic Energy Community, done at Brussels on 22 January 1972.

When the United Kingdom joined the European Communities in 1973 there was annexed to the Treaty of Accession a formal Declaration by the United Kingdom deﬁning the term ‘national’ in relation to the United Kingdom for the purposes of the Treaties and Community legislation. A precise definition was necessary to identify in terms of United Kingdom legislation those persons who by virtue of their close connection with the United Kingdom itself or with Gibraltar would be entitled to the rights conferred by the Treaties, particularly in regard to free movement and the right of establishment.

Last year the United Kingdom Parliament revised British nationality law in terms of the British Nationality Act 1981. The entry into force of this Act on 1 January 1983 will mean that the United Kingdom Declaration no longer corresponds exactly with United Kingdom legislation. I am to inform 3