Britain’s offer to give EU citizens ‘settled status’ after Brexit falls short of giving them the rights they deserve, claim European Parliamentarians.
MEPS have joined the EU leading Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt to slam the proposal.
His voice has been joined by chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier, who argues the issue must be sorted out before talks on a trade deal can start.
They have fired off protest letters to European media outlets claiming EU citizens should not have fewer rights than British nationals in the UK.
But Cabinet minister Damian Green has tried to calm the protests by explaining their basic rights in the UK would be preserved under the proposals set out in a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Threat to veto offer
“Somebody who is here now will keep the rights they already have and we hope that British citizens living in other EU countries will keep the rights they already have…the basic rights will be preserved so that should not be an obstacle to a final deal,” he said.
May offered to give EU citizens who had been in the UK for five years or more the same access to health, education and state benefits as enjoyed by the British – providing the EU offered the same rights to British nationals.
Around two thirds of MEPs in the European Parliament have signed up to the letters.
They have threatened to veto the proposal and throw any Brexit agreement out.
Under EU rules, the results of the Brexit negotiations have to go before the European Parliament for ratification before the plans can be enacted.
Sticking point
“The European Parliament will reserve its right to reject any agreement that treats EU citizens, regardless of their nationality, less favourably than they are at present,” says the letter.
“This is a question of the basic fundamental rights and values that are at the heart of the European project.”
The main sticking point is which body will be the final arbiter if citizenship cases were taken to court.
The EU wants the European Court of Justice to take the lead, but the thought of the court infringing on British sovereignty is unacceptable to leave campaigners.
Leaving the job to the UK’s Supreme Court is equally unacceptable to the EU.
As a compromise, May has suggested an independent international body, but this seems unpalatable to the EU.
I am a little afraid to offend the UK citizens, but they have never been known for their hospitability. Right now, when they process of Brexit is finally over, the EU will now be able to establish that close connections with the UK ever again. But this only mean less opportunities for the UK. Students who have decided on the UK to be their learning destination will be disappointed.
These are meaningless words. No action followed, and it was her who introduced unlawful rules on acquiring Permanent Residence, and therefore citizenship. Don’t trust May. She has a history of u-turns. She can be gone by tomorrow. she also has a history of turning back on Syrian refugee orphans, AFTER the deal was made. This is a PR stunt to save her face in front of EU leaders.
@britishprincess85
European citizens are hospitable. Most would host you in homes. This is on individual level. Now, on state level, Germany and Sweden received more refugees than any other country. Something that the UK and a lot of Central Europe was quite hostile to. When it comes to education, students like studying in countries of major languages. Ireland and Malta remain English-speaking, so the UK can be replace easily.