Debate on Britons’ EU citizenship today

The party believes that the UK government should make it one of its negotiating objectives to ask the EU to allow Britons to retain EU citizenship and its related rights.

A debate is expected to start in the House of Commons this afternoon at around 15.40 French time and it can be watched live here. You should click 'Play event' in the 'Now' section at the top of the page.

Plaid Cymru also has a petition on the topic.

This comes as recent court action in Amsterdam which also centred on Britons’ EU citizenship hit a hurdle, with the state of The Netherlands appealing against a judge’s decision to ask a question to the ECJ. A date has now been set for the appeal, on April 19.

If Britons cannot maintain EU citizenship, the rights of British expats on the continent will hinge on the EU/UK exit deal that is currently being finalised.

The EU has now produced a draft version of the exit treaty, but there remain disagreements, especially over how to deal with the question of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Expat campaigners from the groups in the British in Europe Coalition have also stressed what they see as continuing inadequacies in the deal as it stands, such as no ‘onward’ free movement for Britons who want to move to or work in other EU countries apart from the one where they currently live.