British Islands

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This article describes those areas in the north-western Europe with constitutional links to the United Kingdom. For the archipelago off north-western Europe, see British Isles.
A map showing the areas referred to as the British Islands shaded red.
A map showing the areas referred to as the British Islands shaded red.

The term British Islands is used in the law of the United Kingdom to refer collectively to the following four states:

The latter three territories are Crown dependencies and are not a part of the United Kingdom. The Parliament of the United Kingdom on occasions introduces legislation that is extended to the islands, normally by the use of Orders in Council. For this reason it has been found useful to have a collective term for the combined territories. Dating back to 1889, the current formal definition can be found in the Interpretation Act 1978, an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom:

"British Islands" means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.[1][2]

The term United Kingdom and Islands is used in the Immigration Act 1971. [1]

Contents

[edit] Passports

British passports issued in the UK have the wording "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" on their cover. In the Crown dependencies, this is replaced by "British Islands - Bailiwick of Jersey", "British Islands - Bailiwick of Guernsey" or "British Islands - Isle of Man". These passports are issued to all British citizens resident in the jurisdiction in question[3]..

As the Crown dependencies are affected only by the European Community provisions relating to the free movement of goods, and are not member or associated states of the European Union, there is no right for Channel Islanders or Manxmen to live or work in European Union countries.

However, if a Channel Islander or Manxman has lived in the UK for move than five years, or had a parent or grandparent who was born or lived in the UK, then they are entitled to European Union citizenship in right of the UK.

If this is not the case, then the passport is stamped with the inscription "Holder is not entitled to benefit from European Community provisions relating to employment or establishment."

Although neither the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) nor the Isle of Man are part of the EU proper, their passports bear the inscription "European Union".

[edit] Historical usage

In previous times, particularly the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the term was sometimes used to refer to islands under British control, worldwide.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Interpretation Act 1978. UK Statute Law Database. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.
  2. ^ Interpretation Act 1978. Margaret Marks legal translations. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.
  3. ^ States of Guernsey passports. Guernsey Government Website. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.