Theresa May’s offer of settled status for EU citizens does not come close to what should be on the table for EU residents, say EU politicians
Leading EU politicians have called Theresa May’s settled status plans a “damp squib”. The statement was made by European Parliament chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt and the leaders of four of the parliament’s main groups.
Under settled status, the Prime Minister said some three million EU citizens would have the right to remain in the UK after it leaves the union. However, Verhofstadt and the other leaders said the deal offered Europeans in the UK fewer rights than Britons would receive in the EU.
Plans would see EU migrants who have lived in the UK for five years gain access to health, education and other benefits. However, this would be dependent upon British citizens in the EU gaining the same privileges.
A joint letter to newspapers has been signed by the leaders of four political groups, which account for two-thirds of the votes in the European Parliament.
Uphold current rights
The letter states no endorsements would be forthcoming for anything that removes rights already acquired by citizens. Verhofstadt said May’s proposal “falls short” because it would remove these and create uncertainty for millions of Europeans. It said the EU’s offer promised all citizen would be treated equally and would not lose current rights in place. This would be applied to UK nations living in Europe.
Verhofstadt said current rights should be upheld, rather than the government “inventing a new status”.
“It creates a type of second class citizenship for European Citizens in the UK,” he said. “We don’t see why their rights should be diminished and that would be the case in the proposal.
“In the end, it is the European Parliament that will say yes or no, and I can tell you it not will be a yes if the rights of European citizens – and also the rights of UK citizens living on the continent – will be diminished [and] cut off, like it is at the moment.”
The letter stated: “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.
“This is a question of the basic fundamental rights and values that are at the heart of the European project.”
It added: “In early 2019, MEPs will have a final say on the Brexit deal.
“We will work closely with the EU negotiator and the 27 member states to help steer negotiations.”
A spokesperson for the UK government said: “The position presented to European Parliament is an unhelpful distortion of an offer that several member states have already said is the basis of a good deal.
“Regrettably, the article includes a number of inaccuracies that are particularly unhelpful and likely to cause unnecessary and needless concern to UK and EU citizens.
“We have always said we want a reciprocal arrangement that allows EU citizens to continue to live their lives in the UK broadly as they do now, which is why we set out our proposal to guarantee their rights with a new ‘settled status’.
“That means EU citizens with settled status will have access to education, healthcare, benefits, pensions and social housing on the same basis as British citizens under proposals enshrined in UK law.”
