EU negotiators will offer UK nationals the option to keep their EU citizenship after Brexit, says European chief negotiator Guy Verhofstadt.
Liberal MEP Charles Goerens from Luxembourg first issued the proposal last month for people from former EU nations to be offered “associate citizenship”. This will allow British citizens to travel and live freely within Europe if they opt in.
Verhofstadt has agreed to the idea being part of negotiations, stating, “Some things cannot wait until treaty change. Therefore, the ability to keep European citizenship for those who risk losing it will be on the table of the upcoming Brexit negotiations and will be discussed at the moment of the parliament’s resolution, right after the triggering of article 50 in March.”
Article 50, which which begins the process of the UK’s departure from the EU, was voted highly in favour by the House of Commons, also forcing the government to outline its Brexit plans by March.
Despite the plan being very popular with a number of Britons, Goeren’s suggestion to grant associate citizenship is likely to be opposed by other MEPs and would need approval from member states.
God bless Charles Goeren; we can only hope the plan is approved.