Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens' Rights Agreements

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Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens' Rights Agreements
Welsh: Awdurdod Monitro Annibynnol ar gyfer y Cytundebau Hawliau Dinasyddion
IMA logo standalone RGB.png
Non-departmental public body overview
Formed2020 (2020)
Jurisdiction
Headquarters Swansea, Wales
Employees60-70
Minister responsible
Non-departmental public body executives
  • Nicole Lappin, Chair
  • Miranda Biddle, Chief Executive
Website Official website

The Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens' Rights Agreements (IMA; Welsh : Awdurdod Monitro Annibynnol ar gyfer y Cytundebau Hawliau Dinasyddion) [1] is a body corporate set up in the United Kingdom by the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 [2] [3] to monitor the functioning of the provisions of the Brexit withdrawal agreement relating to citizens' rights, and to protect the rights of European Union citizens in the UK. [4] [5]

Contents

Based in Swansea, Wales, [6] it is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. [7]

Role of the IMA

The IMA was established to make sure the agreement is being properly upheld. In specific terms, the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) protects the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens, and their family members, in the UK and Gibraltar. Essentially, the IMA helps people from EU and EEA EFTA countries get the same rights as they did before the UK left the EU. The IMA are responsible for making sure that UK public bodies and public bodies in Gibraltar are respecting the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens and their family members. Public bodies can include:

Enforcement and investigations

In October 2022, IMA took the Home Office to court, arguing that it is against the withdrawal agreement for the government to require EU citizens to apply for settled status upon the expiry of their pre-settled status. [9]

Structure

The Independent Monitoring Authority costs of a non-executive board of six directors representing each governed area represented in the Withdrawal Agreement.

PortraitNamePost heldAppointed Until
VacantChairman
Leo O'ReillyInterim-Chairman7 December 2023
Punam BirlyNon-executive Director7 December 2025
Ronnie AlexanderNon-executive Director16 March 2024
Marcus KillickNon-executive Director7 December 2023
Joyce CullenNon-executive Director9 February 2024

All non-executive directors are appointed by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. [10]

Day-to-day management is delegated to the Chief Executive of the IMA who has overall responsibility for the three directorates.

PortraitNamePost heldPost Held SinceTenure
Miranda BiddleChief Executive OfficerJuly 20232 years, 11 days
Andrew BagleyDirector of Governance and Corporate ServicesSeptember 20204 years, 344 days
Rhys DaviesGeneral CounselNovember 20204 years, 296 days
Pam EverettDirector of Operational DeliveryNovember 20204 years, 314 days

Former executive and non-executive directors

PortraitNamePost heldStartEndTenure
Dr Kathryn ChamberlainChief Executive Officer202020233 years, 180 days
Sir Ashley FoxChairman202020232 years, 281 days

References

  1. "Memorandwm Cydsyniad Deddfwriaethol: Bil yr Undeb Ewropeaidd (Cytundeb Ymadael)" [Legislative Consent Memorandum: European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill](PDF) (in Welsh). Senedd Cymru. 3 January 2020. p. 5. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  2. "European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020, section 15".
  3. "New Independent Monitoring Authority goes live on 31 December 2020". GOV.UK. 31 December 2020. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  4. "Home Office sued by watchdog set up to protect post-Brexit rights of EU citizens". the Guardian. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  5. "What is the Independent Monitoring Authority?". UK in a changing Europe. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  6. "Contact Details". Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens' Rights Agreements. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  7. "Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens' Rights Agreements". GOV.UK.
  8. "What we do". Independent Monitoring Authority. Retrieved 8 March 2023. Open Government Licence logo.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under an Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  9. "Home Office taken to court over 'pre-settled status' rules for EU citizens". the Guardian. 14 October 2022.
  10. "Independent Monitoring Authority chair and members appointments". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 March 2023.