The ‘associate citizenship’ would allow individuals to travel, live and work in the EU freely – just like they do now.
The proposal was originally meant to be a long term plan but the European Parliament’s lead Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt has now agreed to fast track it.
The ‘associate citizenship’ will be offered in the upcoming discussions with the UK after Article 50 is initiated in March.
‘I am therefore proposing to remove it from my report – which after all is concerned with Treaty change – and to include it in the negotiations we will have with the UK government,’ Mr Verhofstadt told his colleagues.
‘I as Brexit negotiator for the Parliament will ensure that it is included in the parliament’s negotiating mandate.’
The proposal will probably have to be rubber stamped by Parliament but it should have the support of the Lib Dems as it was one of their MPs, Charles Goerens, who suggested it in the first place.
‘The option of being able to retain EU citizenship offers a glimmer of hope for the millions of British people devastated by the referendum result,’ added Lib Dem MEP Catherine Bearder.
‘Everyone who supports this should write to MEPs and tell them how passionately they feel about maintaining their rights as EU citizens, including the ability to live, study and work abroad.’
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