As I travel to Brussels today, I know that many people will be
looking to us – the leaders of the 28 nations in the European
Union – to demonstrate we are putting people first.
I have been clear throughout this process that citizens’ rights
are my first priority. And I know my fellow leaders have the same
objective: to safeguard the rights of EU nationals living in the
UK and UK nationals living in the EU. I want to give reassurance
that this issue remains a priority, that we are united on the key
principles, and that the focus over the weeks to come will be
delivering an agreement that works for people here in the UK, and
people in the EU.
When we started this process, some accused us of treating EU
nationals as bargaining chips. Nothing could have been further
from the truth. EU citizens who have made their lives in the UK
have made a huge contribution to our country. And we want them
and their families to stay. I couldn’t be clearer: EU citizens
living lawfully in the UK today will be able to stay.
But this agreement will not only provide certainty about
residence, but also healthcare, pensions and other benefits. It
will mean that EU citizens who have paid into the UK system – and
UK nationals into the system of an EU27 country – can benefit
from what they’ve put in. It will enable families who have built
their lives together in the EU and UK to stay together. And it
will provide guarantees that the rights of those UK nationals
currently living in the EU, and EU citizens currently living in
the UK, will not diverge over time.
What that leaves us with is a small number of important points to
finalise. That is to be expected at this point in negotiations.
We are in touching distance of agreement. I know both sides will
consider each other’s proposals for finalising the agreement with
an open mind. And with flexibility and creativity on both sides,
I am confident that we can conclude discussions on citizens’
rights in the coming weeks.
I know there is real anxiety about how the agreement will be
implemented. People are concerned that the process will be
complicated and bureaucratic, and will put up hurdles that are
difficult to overcome. I want to provide reassurance here too.
We are developing a streamlined digital process for those
applying for settled status in the UK in the future. This process
will be designed with users in mind, and we will engage with them
every step of the way. We will keep the cost as low as possible –
no more than the cost of a UK passport. The criteria applied will
be simple, transparent and strictly in accordance with the
Withdrawal Agreement. People applying will not have to account
for every trip they have taken in and out of the UK and will no
longer have to demonstrate Comprehensive Sickness Insurance as
they currently have to under EU rules. And importantly, for any
EU citizen who holds Permanent Residence under the old scheme,
there will be a simple process put in place to swap their current
status for UK settled status.
To keep development of the system on track, the government is
also setting up a User Group that will include representatives of
EU citizens in the UK, and digital, technical and legal experts.
This group will meet regularly, ensuring the process is
transparent and responds properly to users’ needs. And we
recognise that British nationals living in the EU27 will be
similarly concerned about potential changes to processes after
the UK leaves the EU. We have repeatedly flagged these issues
during the negotiations. And we are keen to work closely with EU
member states to ensure their processes are equally streamlined.
We want people to stay and we want families to stay together. We
hugely value the contributions that EU nationals make to the
economic, social and cultural fabric of the UK. And I know that
member states value equally UK nationals living in their
communities. I hope that these reassurances, alongside those made
by both the UK and the European Commission last week, will
provide further helpful certainty to the four million people who
were understandably anxious about what Brexit would mean for
their futures.
