A joint statement by the Specialised Committee on Citizens' Rights between the European Commission and UK government:
The tenth meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens' Rights was held on 15 June 2022 in Brussels, co-chaired by officials from the UK Government and the European Commission. A number of representatives from EU Member States were also in attendance. The Committee has been established by the Withdrawal Agreement to monitor the implementation and application of the Citizens' Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement, which protects UK nationals in the EU and EU citizens in the UK, including their family members.
The UK and the EU discussed the implementation and application of the Citizens' Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement. The meeting also provided an opportunity for both sides to take stock of any outstanding issues.
During the meeting, issues related to residency schemes were discussed. The UK raised longstanding concerns relating to evidencing status in some declaratory Member States and accessing benefits and services. The UK also expressed concern that some Member States may not fully comply with the residence procedure under the Withdrawal Agreement or may offer insufficient safeguards to those whose applications have been rejected.
The UK raised other issues such as family reunification, the need for detailed statistics on residence, multiple statuses, and equal treatment with respect to property rights. The UK also reiterated the need for the EU to take a proactive role in monitoring and resolving cases of mis-application of the Withdrawal Agreement with Member States. The EU provided assurances that issues raised by the UK were in the process of being resolved and that some declaratory Member States issued or would issue clear guidance to reduce mis-application.
The EU noted that some EU citizens and their family members with a digital UK residence status encounter problems with carriers when boarding flights back to the UK and called on the UK to continue working with carriers to find solutions. The EU took note of new UK legislation on temporary protection for applicants who apply after the deadline for application and urged the UK to ensure effective and transparent implementation of temporary protection measures.
The EU raised its concerns related to growing delays in issuance of residence documents and entry visas and asked the UK to outline its plans to reduce the number of cases awaiting a decision. Finally, the EU presented its interpretation of frontier workers rules and how absence rules apply for frontier workers resident in 2 host States. Both parties also had an exchange of views on absence rules, including for social security coordination purposes.
The UK and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to protecting citizens' rights in accordance with the obligations under the Withdrawal Agreement.
The UK and the EU agreed to meet again in autumn 2022.
