Brexit: MEPs to assess progress on citizens’ rights on 1 February

Progress in the talks on the post-Brexit rights of EU citizens in the UK and British citizens in the EU will be assessed in a public hearing on Thursday.

Protecting citizens’ rights has been one of the Parliament’s priorities since the beginning of the talks with the UK government. The joint hearing organized by the Civil Liberties, Employment and Petitions committees will take stock of the situation following the announcement by EU leaders last December that “sufficient progress” has already been achieved in all areas to begin the second phase of negotiations.

Guy Verhofstadt i (ALDE i, BE), Parliament´s chief Brexit negotiator, will open the discussion. There will also be representatives of the citizens’ organisations “The 3 million”, “British in Europe” and “New Europeans”, as well as academics and other experts.

The European Parliament demands that the withdrawal agreement incorporate the full set of rights that citizens currently enjoy and that it ensure reciprocity, equity, symmetry and non-discrimination for EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens in the EU.

When: Thursday, 1 February, 14.00 to 17.30

Where: European Parliament in Brussels, Paul-Henri Spaak building, room PHS 3C050

You can follow the meeting live.