Policy paper. Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU

Author (Corporate)
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Series Title
Series Details June 2017
Publication Date 26/06/2017
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Further information
For ESO's comprehensive guide to Brexit information sources click here.At the formal launch on the 19 June 2017 of the Brexit negotiations between the European Union and the United Kingdom the European Commission had made clear that one of its three immediate priorities in the negotiations would be to reach a Citizens' Rights agreement - to protect the rights of existing EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens living in other EU member states after the UK left the EU.

The European Commission also published a Position Paper: Essential Principles on Citizens' Rights (accessible via the related url hyperlinks below).

At the European Council in Brussels, 22-23 June 2017, United Kingdom Prime Minister gave first details of an offer from the United Kingdom on Citizens' Rights.

Initial reactions from EU leaders and others were said to be lukewarm. In addition, the campaigning group the3million called the offer 'pathetic'. 'EU citizens in the UK have been waiting for 12 months to know what their future might entail. The Prime Minister set out details, anchoring their future rights in the notoriously difficult and unfair UK immigration law. This is unacceptable'.

The full details of the UK offer was published in a Policy Paper published by the UK Government on the 26 June 2017 called Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, and in a statement given by Theresa May in the House of Commons on the same day.

EU leaders reacted with a certain degree of disappointment. For example, the European Parliament’s political leaders and Brexit Steering Committee members in an Opinion feature published in EurActiv on the 10 July 2017 condemned the UK’s 'damp squib' of an offer on the rights of EU citizens and insisted they would refuse to endorse a Brexit deal that stripped EU citizens of their acquired rights.

Source Link Link to Main Source https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/safeguarding-the-position-of-eu-citizens-in-the-uk-and-uk-nationals-in-the-eu
Related Links
ESO: Background information: How to protect 4.5m people from becoming Brexit bargaining chips http://www.europeansources.info/record/how-to-protect-4-5m-people-from-becoming-brexit-bargaining-chips/
EUObserver, 23.06.17: May's offer on citizens’ rights dismissed as ‘pathetic’ https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/138327
EurActiv, 23.06.17: Merkel calls UK offer on citizens’ rights a ‘good start’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/merkel-calls-uk-offer-on-citizens-rights-a-good-start/
European Commission: Publications: Position paper transmitted to the UK: essential principles on citizens' rights, June 2017 https://ec.europa.eu/commission/publications/position-paper-essential-principles-citizens-rights_en
Politico, 23.06.17: EU leaders: Theresa May’s offer on EU citizens is inadequate http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-theresa-mays-offer-on-eu-citizens-is-inadequate/
BBC News, 23.06.17: Brexit: EU leader says UK offer could 'worsen situation' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40378913
Website: the3million https://www.the3million.org.uk/
Blog: LSE Brexit, 22.06.17: First bargaining chips, now stocktaking: the plan to register EU citizens http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/brexit/2017/06/22/first-bargaining-chips-now-stocktaking-the-plan-to-register-eu-citizens/
Politico, 24.06.17: May’s rights offer falls flat on its face http://www.politico.eu/article/brexit-negotiation-europe-mays-rights-offer-falls-flat-on-its-face/
Deutsche Welle, 22.06.17: Skepticism in Brussels over Britain's post-Brexit promise for EU citizens http://p.dw.com/p/2fDaF
UK: GOV.UK: Prime Minister's Office: Speech, 23.07.17: European Council June 2017: Prime Minister's press statement https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/european-council-june-2017-prime-ministers-press-statement
Politico, 25.06.17: Poles in UK feel betrayed despite Theresa May’s ‘generous’ offer http://www.politico.eu/article/poles-in-uk-feel-betrayed-despite-theresa-mays-generous-offer/
In Facts: Expert View, 23.06.17: Two cheers for Theresa May https://infacts.org/two-cheers-theresa-may/
The Guardian, 26.06.17: EU nationals to be offered nearly same rights as Britons https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/26/eu-nationals-to-be-offered-nearly-same-rights-at-britons
The Conversation, 23.06.17: Still too many holes in Theresa May’s promise to EU citizens https://theconversation.com/still-too-many-holes-in-theresa-mays-promise-to-eu-citizens-80016
Politico, 26.06.17: Michel Barnier calls for ‘more ambition’ from UK on citizens’ rights http://www.politico.eu/article/michel-barnier-calls-for-more-ambition-from-uk-on-citizens-rights/
UK: GOV.UK: Prime Minister's Office: Speeches, 26.06.17: PM Commons statement on European Council: 26 June 2017 https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-commons-statement-on-european-council-26-june-2017
EUObserver, 27.06.17: UK defends proposal on EU citizens' rights https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/138357
Euro|Topics: Debates, June 2017: Will EU nationals become second-class citizens? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/181506/will-eu-nationals-become-second-class-citizens
The Conversation, 27.06.17: EU citizens proposal: a lawyer examines the detail https://theconversation.com/eu-citizens-proposal-a-lawyer-examines-the-detail-80111
Blog: Verfassungsblog, 28.06.17: An Early Deal-Breaker? EU Citizens’ Rights in the UK after Brexit, and the Future Role of the European Court of Justice http://verfassungsblog.de/an-early-deal-breaker-eu-citizens-rights-in-the-uk-after-brexit-and-the-future-role-of-the-european-court-of-justice/
Brexit Central, 28.06.17: How the UK and EU will square up on citizens’ rights http://brexitcentral.com/uk-eu-will-square-citizens-rights/
Blog: EU Law Analysis, 30.06.17: The Brexit talks: opening positions on the status of UK and EU citizens http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/the-brexit-talks-opening-positions-on.html
The Conversation, 07.07.17: European law expert: UK has sparked race to the bottom that will strip citizens of their rights http://theconversation.com/european-law-expert-uk-has-sparked-race-to-the-bottom-that-will-strip-citizens-of-their-rights-80518
The Conversation, 06.07.17: If you think David Davis has U-turned on ID cards, think again http://theconversation.com/if-you-think-david-davis-has-u-turned-on-id-cards-think-again-80567
BBC News, 10.07.17: Brexit: Theresa May's offer to EU citizens 'falls short' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40552318
The Guardian, 09.07.17: [Opinion]: Improve the Brexit offer to EU citizens, or we’ll veto the deal (by Guy Verhofstadt) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/09/brexit-offer-eu-citzens-veto-british-porposal-european-parliament
EurActiv, 10.07.17: [Opinion]: UK offer is far from what citizens are entitled to [Article by the leaders of the European Parliament’s main political groups and members of the Parliament’s Brexit Steering Committee) http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/opinion/uk-offer-is-far-from-what-citizens-are-entitled-to/
European Parliament: Press Release, 13.07.17: Brexit: MEPs concerned over UK offer on EU citizens’ rights http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20170710IPR79369/

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