Could Britons keep EU citizenship?

British citizens who wish to remain European citizens after Brexit could opt to have a form of ‘associate citizenship’ enabling them to retain their free movement rights, an MEP from Luxembourg recommends.

Charles Goerens, who is in a Liberals and Democrats group in the European Parliament, wants to put in place the new status for those who ‘wish to be part of the European project but are nationals of a former member state’.

His idea – which he has explained to Connexion in an interview for December’s newspaper - will be discussed at a meeting of the parliament’s constitutional affairs committee on Monday next week and he hopes the full parliament will vote on it next month.

Mr Goerens said in a statement: “48% of British voters wished to remain European citizens with all the advantages that this brings. The EU should facilitate associate voluntary EU citizenship for those who, against their will, are being stripped of their European identity. Individual EU associate citizenship could provide a practical solution for UK citizens aggrieved by Brexit.”