Citizens’ rights groups the3million and
British in Europe have reacted with anger and disappointment after the Brexit
negotiators failed to deliver their promise to agree a deal that would allow people to carry on living their lives in exactly the
same manner as before Brexit.
Despite good progress at the early
stage of the negotiations, the talks stalled when the focus switched to the
Irish border, with crucial issues such as freedom of movement for British
citizens in Europe and lifelong rights to return remaining unsolved in the
agreement presented by Theresa May last night.
Key Concerns That Have not Been Met:
-
British in Europe – losing free movement, which our
members rely on for work and family.
-
3.6 million EU citizens living in the UK have to pay to
apply to stay in their home, will undergo systematic criminality checks and can
lose the new status if family or work obligations mean they have to leave the
country for five years.
Chair of the3million Nicolas Hatton said:
“the3million
feels betrayed by the Brexit negotiators. Despite early progress in the
negotiations, over three million EU citizens in the UK, including 700,000 EU
children, are now facing a lifelong limbo under the Withdrawal Agreement.
We
are still bargaining chips, as the negotiators will soon discuss the future
relationship, with our lives still in the balance. As a reminder, the
Withdrawal Agreement does not protect our existing rights, and shamefully
creates more insecurity by allowing the Home Office to pick and choose the EU
citizens they want to keep.”
Jane Golding, Co-Chair of British in Europe said:
“We
were told in March that citizens’ rights were a done deal and that discussions
on this would not be re-opened. However it is clear from the text that some
changes have in fact been made, meaning that it is unacceptable and upsetting
that free movement – a lifeline for many of us - has been excluded when both
sides knew it was critical for us.
Brexit
Secretaries come and Brexit Secretaries go.
But unlike Dominic Raab our
members don't have the luxury of walking away from this mess. His resignation only adds to the uncertainty
that millions of people have been experiencing for two years. It is now up to
the European Parliament, not only to walk the talk on its red lines – free
movement in our case – but to put pressure on all sides to ringfence the
agreement on citizens’ rights so that 4.6mn people can sleep at night now
whatever happens on Brexit."
A fuller analysis will follow in
due course.
For more information or to arrange an interview please
contact:
Maike Bohn
the3million
+44 7967 627808
maike.bohn@the3million.org.uk
Laura Shields
British in Europe +32 497 409
884 laura.shields@britishineurope.org
@mediawhizz @britishineurope
British
in Europe is the largest coalition group of British citizens living and
working in Europe. It is comprised of
ten core groups across the continent representing a membership of around 35.000
Brits working together to stand up for the rights of UK citizens in the EU and
EU citizens in the UK.
