About: citizens' rights
UK will not extend settlement scheme deadline for EU nationals
EU nationals living in the UK have a week until a 30 June deadline to apply for settled status, after officials confirmed that the cut-off date would not be extended.
One in four EU citizens fear discrimination compared to UK nationals
A quarter of EU citizens living in the UK do not feel they are treated equally to UK citizens, according to the first survey of EU citizens by the watchdog set to protect their rights published on Thursday (13 May).
Portugal to approve strategy for boosting inclusion of disabled
Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa has announced that at the end of this month the government will approve a national strategy for the inclusion of people with disabilities, which will include measures to support employment and improve accessibility.
EU nationals shut out from UK welfare scheme, report warns
EU citizens in the UK risk being shut out of accessing the country’s welfare system as a result of a little-known test that requires them to prove that they are permanently in the UK, according to research published on Thursday (9 July).
COVID-19 pandemic poses new risks to EU citizens in UK, rights groups warn
The coronavirus pandemic risks creating new problems and uncertainty for potential applicants to the UK's EU Settlement Scheme and those who have already been given pre-settled status, citizens’ rights groups have warned Boris Johnson's government.
Britons in Europe are disenfranchised while their EU counterparts’ rights hang in the balance
The French municipal elections which will take place on 16 March are the first since President Macron was elected and an important test of his popularity. They are also the first set of municipal elections in which British citizens in France will be unable to vote.
French polls – a reminder of post-Brexit voting limbo
France’s municipal elections on Sunday (16 March) will be a major test for President Emmanuel Macron in the wake of the popular protests by the gilets jaunes and over controversial pension reforms. They will also be the first such polls in which British citizens in France will not be able to vote.
New reports urge EU, UK to clarify Brexit ‘no man’s land’ on citizens’ rights
Campaigners have urged European governments and the UK to clarify their 'confused' policies to guide UK citizens living in the EU through the post-Brexit “no man’s land”, following the publication of two new reports on Friday (6 March).
Give EU nationals physical proof of UK status, landlords urge Johnson
Landlords and civil society campaigners have urged Boris Johnson’s government to provide physical proof for EU citizens living in the UK, warning that landlords and employers could otherwise be reluctant to let a home or offer a job to EU citizens.
UK minister defends EU settlement scheme as applications surge
The United Kingdom on Thursday (16 January) defended its much-criticised scheme to guarantee the rights of EU nationals after Brexit, as the country’s Home Office announced that a vast majority have already applied for settled status.
MEPs express ‘grave concern’ about Brexit citizens’ rights regime
Lawmakers in the European Parliament have urged the UK government to overhaul its regime for EU citizens’ rights after Brexit, expressing ‘grave concern’ about its EU Settlement Scheme.
Campaign group demands UK rights for forgotten Europeans
Civil society activists launched on Tuesday (10 December) a five pledge ‘Citizens’ Rights manifesto for the 5 million’ demanding voting and citizenship rights two days ahead of a potentially decisive UK general election.
EU nationals face delays, difficulties with Brexit settlement scheme, new report finds
The difficulties facing EU nationals wishing to remain living in the UK have been highlighted in a report published on Tuesday (19 November) by Migrant Voice.
Surge in EU applications for UK settlement scheme
More than half a million applications for EU settled status were received by the UK’s Home Office in October, taking the total to 2.4 million.
No escape from the hostile environment
The UK's offer of settled status to EU citizens may have seemed like a change of tack in its migration policy but there are many causes for anxiety, writes Roger Casale.
Brexit causes status anxiety among EU nationals in the UK
The negotiations on a Brexit Withdrawal Agreement have been painfully slow and often rancorous, but ministers have always insisted that the rights of EU nationals living in the UK will be protected. But despite all pledges, including from Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there is continuing anxiety on all sides.
Labour vows to give EU nationals vote in UK general elections
The prospect of EU nationals being able to vote in UK elections has increased after the opposition Labour party adopted new policy to guarantee EU and third-country nationals voting rights in all elections.
Carve out Brexit deal on citizens’ rights, UK urges Barnier
The UK’s Brexit minister has urged the EU’s Michel Barnier to have a reciprocal agreement guaranteeing citizens’ rights in the event of a No Deal Brexit.
EU declines to match UK’s citizens’ rights guarantee
The European Union will not match the UK government’s decision to guarantee the rights of EU nationals in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit, and a Commission spokesperson insisted on Thursday (28 February) that the bloc would not negotiate ‘mini deals’.
The 585-page draft Brexit agreement in a nutshell
The European Union has published on Wednesday (14 November) the 585-page draft Brexit deal aimed at ensuring a smooth divorce next March and outlining a transition period for both sides to adjust to the break.
Brexit uncertainties haunt UK expats living in Spain
A lack of clarity in the Brexit negotiations has left many British expatriates living in Spain uncertain about just how the UK's withdrawal from the EU will affect their lives in the future, the head of the group 'Brexpats in Spain' told EURACTIV's media partner EFE in an interview Saturday (20 October).
Pessimism and general fatigue characterise final stretch of Brexit
Faced with a united and firm EU, the UK remains unclear on its projects for Brexit. Fundamental questions such as governance or the Northern Irish border are far from resolved. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Pay £65 to stay, UK tells its EU residents
EU nationals living in the UK will have until June 2021 to apply for permanent residency at a cost of £65 per person, under a proposed scheme unveiled on Thursday (21 June).