EU Citizens Rights and Brexit

The result of the referendum on the United Kingdom’s EU membership has created uncertainty in the lives of EU27 citizens in the UK. Many have been asking questions about the application of EU law, what their EU rights are now and what they are going to be in the future. The contents of the Draft Withdrawal Agreement are not well-known by EU citizens in the UK. Local community and diaspora organisations, charities and volunteers play a key role in providing information to EU27 citizens and many such organisations hold information sessions for their members.

The European Commission Representation in the UK would like to support this effort by offering contracted solicitors, through the Law Centres Network, to attend your forthcoming events on EU citizens’ rights. The solicitors will be available, for free, to provide impartial, politically neutral information on EU citizens’ rights and the European Parliament elections, and be available to participate in question and answer sessions. They can provide general information, but they can also tailor the information to the interests of your particular locality or group, including through professional interpreters in the language of your client group.

Our aim is to inform EU citizens about their current EU rights, their rights after Brexit, and details about the ‘settled status’ process. We would like to provide general reassurance that EU citizens residing lawfully in the UK prior to the UK’s withdrawal from the UK will have their rights protected.