EU to ask UK to respect citizens' rights after mistreatment scandals
Source: The Guardian
EU to ask UK to respect citizens rights after mistreatment scandals
Exclusive: Message to Boris Johnson comes after citizens with UK job interviews say they were locked up
Daniel Boffey in Brussels
Wed 19 May 2021 10.12 BST
EU leaders will call on Boris Johnson to respect the rights of their citizens in the wake of scandals over their treatment in the UK, including their detention in removal centres, according to a leaked draft statement seen by the Guardian.
The message to the British prime minister will follow a first discussion of EU-UK relations between the 27 heads of state and government since the ratification of the trade and cooperation agreement struck last Christmas Eve.
The European Council calls on the UK to respect the principle of non-discrimination among member states and the rights of EU citizens, the leaders are due to say, adding that the deals agreed with Downing Street must be implemented in full.
There is growing concern within EU capitals over the UK governments approach to their nationals, including those whose rights are guaranteed by the tortuously negotiated Brexit withdrawal agreement.
A new body set up under the withdrawal agreement to ensure citizens rights are upheld after Brexit has said it is actively considering statutory action against the Home Office due to the difficulties for EU nationals in the UK who are seeking so-called settled status.
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Read more:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/19/eu-to-ask-uk-to-respect-citizens-rights-after-mistreatment-scandals