Two new legal cases have launched aimed at maintaining EU citizenship rights for Britons in France and other EU countries.

French barrister Julien Fouchet has lodged a new case, representing veteran vote campaigner Harry Shindler, 99, from Italy, and former British councillors who could not stand in the 2020 local elections in France.

It argues that because the rights maintained in the Withdrawal Agreement deal are conditional on obtaining a residency card and are not identical to EU citizenship – such as no local election voting – it is unfair as Britons will be treated differently from EU citizens.

It attacks the Brexit WA in the General Court of the EU.

His case is pro bono but there is an expenses crowdfunding at tinyurl.com/y34z4l5q.

Meanwhile, UK academic Joshua Silver hopes to obtain a European Court of Justice ruling that Britons’ EU citizenship continues as an acquired right after Brexit.

A petition passed 140,000 signatures (eucitizenship.org.uk) and a crowdfunding for legal fees is nearing £50,000.