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| Brexit: EU leader says UK offer could 'worsen situation' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Europe's most senior official has criticised the UK's offer to EU nationals after Brexit, claiming it could "worsen the situation" for them. | |
| European Council President Donald Tusk said the proposal was "below our expectations" and needed more detail. | |
| He said the EU wanted to secure the "full rights" of all its citizens and British expats on the continent. | |
| EU nationals living in the UK for five years would get "settled status", with access to benefits, under UK plans. | |
| Many Britons living in the EU are also worried about what it will mean for a reciprocal deal, which both the UK and the EU say they want. | |
| The "settled status" envisaged by the UK government would give EU citizens the right to stay after the UK's exit - due on 30 March 2019 - and get the same rights to welfare, pensions and education as UK citizens. | |
| However, no cut-off date for the package has been specified by Downing Street and further details of the plans - which are reported to also involve a two-year "grace period" for people moving to the UK after Brexit to regularise their status - will not be released until Monday. | However, no cut-off date for the package has been specified by Downing Street and further details of the plans - which are reported to also involve a two-year "grace period" for people moving to the UK after Brexit to regularise their status - will not be released until Monday. |
| The PM has also promised to streamline the current system, including doing away with an 85-page permanent residency application form. | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters that the offer was "a good start" but other European leaders have said more detail is required while Mr Juncker, who represents the EU's executive arm, said it was a "first step but this step is not sufficient". | |
| Anne-Laure Donskoy, founding member of the 3million - which aims to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the UK - said the offer was "disappointing" and "really falls short of our expectations". | Anne-Laure Donskoy, founding member of the 3million - which aims to protect the rights of EU citizens living in the UK - said the offer was "disappointing" and "really falls short of our expectations". |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "neither fair, nor really serious". | She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "neither fair, nor really serious". |
| "It is like a teaser this statement, it gives you general direction of travel potentially, but there are things in the statement that need to be unpicked." | "It is like a teaser this statement, it gives you general direction of travel potentially, but there are things in the statement that need to be unpicked." |
| Questions remain | Questions remain |
| Chris Morris, BBC News, Brussels | Chris Morris, BBC News, Brussels |
| Both sides would like to get the issue of citizens' rights wrapped up as soon as possible - it would be good for morale to get an early win, and they have more difficult issues to tackle. | Both sides would like to get the issue of citizens' rights wrapped up as soon as possible - it would be good for morale to get an early win, and they have more difficult issues to tackle. |
| But while there is a sense that progress can be made, there are still some tricky technical questions to deal with. | But while there is a sense that progress can be made, there are still some tricky technical questions to deal with. |
| Which rights will be extended to immediate family members living elsewhere - to children in particular? And who will guarantee citizens' rights in the event of any legal dispute? The EU has already insisted that the European Court of Justice should be involved; the UK insists that British courts should uphold the deal. | Which rights will be extended to immediate family members living elsewhere - to children in particular? And who will guarantee citizens' rights in the event of any legal dispute? The EU has already insisted that the European Court of Justice should be involved; the UK insists that British courts should uphold the deal. |
| It is also not clear what the cut-off date should be for citizens to qualify for any offer that is agreed. The UK proposal suggests a date between March 2017 and March 2019 - although it is highly unlikely that the EU would be willing to accept a date that has already passed. | It is also not clear what the cut-off date should be for citizens to qualify for any offer that is agreed. The UK proposal suggests a date between March 2017 and March 2019 - although it is highly unlikely that the EU would be willing to accept a date that has already passed. |
| From an EU perspective, what we've heard so far from the UK side remains rather vague. EU negotiators will want to see the details of this proposal which are only due to be made public next Monday. | From an EU perspective, what we've heard so far from the UK side remains rather vague. EU negotiators will want to see the details of this proposal which are only due to be made public next Monday. |
| Bulgarian Maria Spirova, who has been living and working in the UK for five-and-a-half years, said she was still concerned about what the scheme would mean for her future, despite the announcement. | Bulgarian Maria Spirova, who has been living and working in the UK for five-and-a-half years, said she was still concerned about what the scheme would mean for her future, despite the announcement. |
| "I am panicked on the inside," she told BBC Breakfast. "I arrived here before 2014... but [the proposals] open more questions than they answer... With Mrs May saying there could be no deal, what happens to us?" | "I am panicked on the inside," she told BBC Breakfast. "I arrived here before 2014... but [the proposals] open more questions than they answer... With Mrs May saying there could be no deal, what happens to us?" |
| But speaking at the start of the second day of the EU Summit, Mrs May said she wanted to reassure EU citizens in the UK that "no-one would have to leave", adding: "We won't be seeing families split apart." | But speaking at the start of the second day of the EU Summit, Mrs May said she wanted to reassure EU citizens in the UK that "no-one would have to leave", adding: "We won't be seeing families split apart." |
| Both the UK and the rest of the EU say they want to come to an arrangement to secure the status of the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK and the estimated 1.2 million Britons living in EU countries. | Both the UK and the rest of the EU say they want to come to an arrangement to secure the status of the 3.2 million EU citizens in the UK and the estimated 1.2 million Britons living in EU countries. |
| The European Union has said they should continue enjoying the same rights on a lifetime basis, enforceable by the European Court of Justice, but the UK has said British courts should have the jurisdiction. | The European Union has said they should continue enjoying the same rights on a lifetime basis, enforceable by the European Court of Justice, but the UK has said British courts should have the jurisdiction. |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged the government to guarantee all UK-based EU citizens full residency rights, saying the current offer "doesn't go far enough and leaves uncertainty for those who have been here for less than five years". | |
| "These are people who are working here and have families here - we have to end their uncertainty." | |
| What do you want to know about the governments plans? | |
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