Recognition of citizenship rights of UK citizens in other EU Member States and agreement on non-UK EU citizens’ rights in the UK

Question for written answer
to the Council (President of the European Council)
Rule 130

E-003500-17
Subject: PCE/PEC — Recognition of citizenship rights of UK citizens in other EU Member States and agreement on non-UK EU citizens’ rights in the UK?

Since the UK referendum on 23 June 2016, citizens of EU Member States in the UK and UK citizens in other EU Member States have experienced feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and distress about the situation facing them and their families.
‘New Europeans’ and other civil society organisations have highlighted the deep concern of citizens regarding their ability to enjoy the rights that derive from their EU citizenship, including the right to remain in the Member States in which they are resident, and retaining their right to private and family life, as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
There is significant regret that individuals are being treated as ‘bargaining chips’ in the Brexit negotiations.
Irrespective of the UK’s current or future position, will the President advocate to the European Council that it should commit to maintaining EU citizenship rights for UK citizens in other EU Member States, and that these shall remain in place regardless of the outcome of negotiations with the UK?
Will the President also advocate that guarantees on non-UK EU citizens’ rights in the UK should be subject to a separate agreement with the UK and not be influenced by the outcome of negotiations on other subjects?

Answer
The President of the European Council has undertaken to reply to parliamentary questions in so far as they concern his own political activities. As negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU fall outside the scope of that commitment, the President of the European Council is not in a position to answer the question put by the Honourable Members.

Maltese Version

Mistoqsija għal tweġiba bil-miktub E-003500/2017
lill-Kunsill (President tal-Kunsill Ewropew)
Artikolu 130 tar-Regoli ta’ Proċedura

Suġġett: PCE/PEC – Rikonoxximent tad-drittijiet ta’ ċittadinanza taċ-ċittadini tar-Renju Unit fi Stati Membri oħra tal-UE u ftehim dwar id-drittijiet ta’ ċittadinanza taċ-ċittadini tal-
UE li mhumiex ċittadini tar-Renju Unit fir-Renju Unit

Mir-referendum tar-Renju Unit fit-23 ta’ Ġunju 2016, iċ-ċittadini tal-Istati Membri fir-Renju Unit u ċ-ċittadini tar-Renju Unit fi Stati Membri tal-UE oħra esperjenzaw sens ta’ inċertezza, ansjetà u dwejjaq dwar is-sitwazzjoni li huma u l-familji tagħhom qed jiffaċċjaw.
“New European” u organizzazzjonijiet tas-soċjetà ċivili oħra ssottolinjaw it-tħassib kbir taċ-ċittadini dwar il-possibiltà li jgawdu mid-drittijiet li jirriżultaw miċ-ċittadinanza tagħhom tal-UE, inkluż id-dritt li jibqgħu fl-Istati Membri li fihom huma residenti, u li jżommu d-dritt tagħhom għall-ħajja privata u tal-familja, kif minqux fil-Karta tad-Drittijiet Fundamentali tal-UE u l-Konvenzjoni Ewropea dwar id-Drittijiet tal-Bniedem.
Hemm sens ta’ dispjaċir kbir li l-individwi qed jiġu ttrattati bħala “pedini” fin-negozjati tal-Brexit.
Irrispettivament mill-pożizzjoni attwali jew futura tar-Renju Unit, il-President se jirrakkomanda lill-Kunsill Ewropew biex jimpenja ruħu ħalli jinżammu d-drittijiet ta’ ċittadinanza tal-UE miċ-ċittadini tar-Renju Unit fi Stati Membri oħra tal-UE, u li dawn għandhom jibqgħu fis-seħħ irrispettivament mir-riżultati tan-negozjati mar-Renju Unit?
Il-President se jirrakkomanda wkoll li l-garanziji fuq id-drittijiet taċ-ċittadini tal-UE li mhumiex ċittadini tar-Renju Unit fir-Renju Unit għandhom ikunu suġġetti għal ftehim separat mar-Renju Unit u ma jkunux influwenzati mill-eżitu tan-negozjati fuq suġġetti oħra?

(17.7.2017)

Il-President tal-Kunsill Ewropew impenja ruħu li jwieġeb mistoqsijiet parlamentari sa fejn dawn jikkonċernaw l-attivitajiet politiċi proprji tiegħu. Billi n-negozjati mar-Renju Unit skont l-Artikolu 50 TUE jaqgħu barra mill-ambitu ta’ dak l-impenn, il-President tal-Kunsill Ewropew mhuwiex f’pożizzjoni li jwieġeb il-mistoqsija mressqa mill-Onorevoli Membri.