Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Any British citizens out there who want to remain part of the EU on an individual basis contact [email protected]

The European Parliament is being flooded with “thousands” of requests from Britons anxious to remain EU citizens after Brexit. Guy Verhofstadt, the parliament’s chief Brexit negotiator, vowed to press ahead with a proposal to offer them the chance to remain EU citizens, as he revealed the scale of interest on this side of the Channel.

Guy VERHOFSTADT | Home | MEPs | European Parliament

If you do nothing then I am pretty sure nothing will happen. Worth a go my friends.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

You can also follow Guy on Facebook, I suspect the thousands will turn to millions by the end of it all, unfortunately its very difficult to see how it could work but we will see

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

The power of the people. If there is a subscription fee and people are willing to pay on an individual basis then how can the EU turn that down?

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Thank you for this.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Theres also a petition on Change.org to ask the European parliament to consider the request of UK citizens who want to retain there EU citizenship to do so, it gained 200 signatures in the time it took me to sign

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

The suggestion of UK citizens voluntarily registering as an "EU citizen" when the UK leaves seems to be ill-thought-out and it is far from clear how such a scheme would work.

For starters if individuals of exiting states could register as an EU citizen if their country voted to leave the EU, it would actually encourage countries to vote to leave - because individuals could vote for their country to regain its sovereignty, but retain the right to live and work in the rump of the EU.

If you live outside the UK but within the European Onion, you would usually be better off seeking the citizenship of the country you're living in, and harassing the government there if the rules don't currently allow that.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

That is what we did, we applied for nationality almost four years ago and the same was granted last year.

Makes life easier and insures our future here where we reside.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

I am unclear of how it could work logistically as well but at this stage it's a declaration of intent and a means of perhaps getting an idea of how many people feel strongly about hanging on to the EU citizenship.

Let's face it, noone seems very clear of how Brexit's going to work yet either.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

I love all this Brexit talk. Its as if the E.U. is a utopia that will never change! Both sides in the referendum lied, as Politicians always do. Remain or leave both gilded the lily. However Remain did not tell us of the changes that were in the pipeline if we remained. Would your children and grandchildren be conscripted into an EU army? Would we all have to pay the EU income tax on top of domestic income tax? Why does EU continue to allow poor countries to join it? Will Turkey join?
Why do we as guests in an EU country below state pension age get very little, whilst a French man can come to UK and claim, be treated free on HNS, have a taxpayer funded translator? Plus the welfare benefits!
It should be even across all EU statdes, but it is not and never will be. The UK pays a fortune and its the taxpayer that funds that fortune. The Corporations pay little or no tax, or pay it to another EU state.
If you wanted to live in Australia you'd have to emigrate.
I love spain and have had a house there for many years; hopefully I will continue to do so.
I am not against the people of Europe, but the politicians have a long long way to go before all people in Europe are treated the same.
All countries should pay the same membership fee, and if they can't they should not be considered for membership, similar to any golf club or any other organisation that charges a membership fee!

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Well Pulaski, I don't mind admitting this brought tears to my eyes.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

I have never understood why some people especially the ones who emigrate to Europe and set up home there do not do this.

Is it insecurity trying to keep the door open for a return to the UK should that eventually become a necessary escape route?

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

It's not just Europe, it's the US too - we often get questions from people in the US who have lived in the US for 10, 20, or more years, who have never bothered to get US citizenship. :confused: .... I suspension that it is the same pattern in other countries too. :unsure:

Of the people asking questions in the US forum, some have heard that dual citizenship isn't allowed by the US and/or the UK, some have interpreted the US oath of citizenship waaay too literally (".... renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty ...." does not mean you have to give up your British passport), and some seem to think that taking US citizenship somehow dilutes their Britishness. :huh:

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Rajoy offers hope on May’s plan for British citizens living in EU

But No10 were boosted by an early morning with tete-a-tete with Spanish Premier Rajoy on the fringes of the meeting. The PM secured backing for an early deal on the rights of Brits living in Europe from her Spanish counterpart

Take your pick:-

https://www.wbnews.info/2017/02/hope...om-spanish-pm/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/277722...om-spanish-pm/

Theresa May edges closer to deal for thousands of ex-pats in Spain who face losing rights after Brexit - Mirror Online

May wins the agreement of Spain for an early expat deal | Daily Mail Online

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Have not read so many lies and fantastical brexit viewpoints in ages.
Thanks for giving me a good laugh to start the day.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

The biggest joke is Verhofstadt himself, a guy who thinks he can simply make up the rules on the fly. Probably one of the most stupid proposals so far..

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

:goodpost::goodpost::goodpost:

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Did you have a good laugh as well:lol::lol::lol:.
The idea of seperate EU citizenship is a non starter simply because the EU is not a soveriegn nation.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

:goodpost:

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Well considering how different the European Onion is in 2017 from the EEC/Common Market that the UK joined in 1973, the changes anticipated are entirely reasonable and very likely if the European politicians had their way! Indeed a number of them have already been discussed, including European armed forces, a European income tax (proposed on the basis that paying a common income tax would make people feel more engaged with the EU, and therefore more enthusiastic about it, yes, seriously :rofl:), and admitting Turkey into the EU.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

That has nothing to do with the EU. The UK health and social care is based on residency not contributions, that is UK Government choice not EU, most EU countries base it on contributions.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Not going to happen unless the EU became a single nation. Just think of the confusion at border control. Whether you are an associate member of the EU or not, you will still only have a British passport. I don't see how Spanish border control would be able to differentiate.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

WELL SAID !
HERE HERE !
AT last, some sense on this forum; obviously someone who is well read and taken the time to educate themself on this subject, as opposed to listening to all the media lies.
Maybe if the remoaners would stop whinging for five minutes and look beyond their tv screen they might find out what you said is fact based, instead of trashing your post.
A great post, thank you.



ic;12169911]I love all this Brexit talk. Its as if the E.U. is a utopia that will never change! Both sides in the referendum lied, as Politicians always do. Remain or leave both gilded the lily. However Remain did not tell us of the changes that were in the pipeline if we remained. Would your children and grandchildren be conscripted into an EU army? Would we all have to pay the EU income tax on top of domestic income tax? Why does EU continue to allow poor countries to join it? Will Turkey join?
Why do we as guests in an EU country below state pension age get very little, whilst a French man can come to UK and claim, be treated free on HNS, have a taxpayer funded translator? Plus the welfare benefits!
It should be even across all EU statdes, but it is not and never will be. The UK pays a fortune and its the taxpayer that funds that fortune. The Corporations pay little or no tax, or pay it to another EU state.
If you wanted to live in Australia you'd have to emigrate.
I love spain and have had a house there for many years; hopefully I will continue to do so.
I am not against the people of Europe, but the politicians have a long long way to go before all people in Europe are treated the same.
All countries should pay the same membership fee, and if they can't they should not be considered for membership, similar to any golf club or any other organisation that charges a membership fee![/QUOTE]

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

WOW, you are an aggressive little fellow, aren't you. Typical attude of a remoaner.
The fantastical one is you dear, actually believing the tripe spewed out by 'europe' and your fellow remoaner cronies.
Instead of being so sarcastic at other's viewpoints why not use some energy educating yourself on the history of the EU and it's plans going forward. Seriously man, you might actually learn something.
Happy days ....

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

[/QUOTE]

Did you actually read and understand this reply ?


Concerning membership fees : I think it is based on GNI of the country, percentage of VAT income for that country and customs duties collected on behalf of the EU ... in my opinion, seems a fair way of doing it.

So not to be compared to a golf club membership fee !

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

If the UK had a contributory system like the rest of Europe then we would not be in all this mess. That's the root of the problem.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Agree

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

That is a very valid point and one that the UK Government don't seem to want to explain, the problem with ability to access our social welfare and health system is it is residency based unlike many other EU countries. UK could apply same rules as Spain re Residency after 3 month stay, prove health cover income etc but they don't bother, had Cameron done this that would have appeased many that voted out.
By the way what is a remoaner? Someone who simply expresses an opinion on staying in the EU maybe? Wasn't the fact that Farage and his like kept moaning on for years about the EU the very reason we got the referendum? I suppose it depends which side of the line one site but for me it is a nasty and over used term used to try to prevent alternative points of view being expressed.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

I agree with you Bob. If the situation was reversed, no doubt the Mail and Express would have coined another derogatory term such as "Brexidiots".

Everyone is entitled to an opinion and should not need to have derogatory names attached to them just because opinions differ.

Forums rules state:-

Challenge others’ points of view and opinions, but do so respectfully and thoughtfully … without insult or personal attack.

In future any such derogatory comments will be removed.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Of course another problem that the UK government of any party doesn't want to address if we did have a contributory system like many EU countries, what happens to our own home grown people that make a living from benefits having never worked or paid into the system?

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

One of the roots. The other one is the UK's belief they can control immigration though border-controls alone, instead of introducing id cards and strict residency controls for EU citizens as well as non-EU citizens (which is perfectly within the EU rules of course).

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

During the run up to the referendum the only uk politician I heard mention that point was Alan Johnson briefly.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Did you have to renounce to the British nationality in order to apply? Thank you!

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

We signed papers to that effect, however one can only renounce United Kingdom nationality at the Home office in London or at a consul elsewhere, therefor in the eyes of the Spanish government we are Spanish and nothing else, but in the eyes of the United Kingdom government we have dual nationality, United Kingdom and Spanish, not that this make a deal of difference to us.

The entire process took 10 years residencia, then a further three years from application to being granted. Application has now changed, new applicants have to pass an exam in both Spanish general knowledge and language, I have also been informed that there is a fee of €100.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

In effect, your Spanish passport can be cancelled at any time due to your false declaration, lol. The Spanish always have a "get out" clause.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

I relate only the facts, I am not inclined to comment on opinions and speculations of others.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

It's not a false declaration, it's just not legally binding under British law. Some countries who forbid dual nationality do require you to produce evidence from your home country that you have legally renounced your existing citizenship before permitting you to acquire theirs. That the Spanish do not is an oversight on their part. The only legal requirement in the Civil Code is that after your application is approved that you swear or promise fidelity to the King and obedience to the Constitution and the law and that you declare that you renounce your previous nationality. The US citizenship ceremony has a similar vow. It's meaningless under British nationality law.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

You are correct.
In terms of its welfare system, the UK is out on a limb.
The non contributory model is plainly wrong because it often rewards the work-shy instead of being a safety net. Alas, no political party has the guts to address it.
A flawed system that has helped Brexit happen - In terms of perception at least, the UK is a soft touch.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

The UK DID INTRODUCE ID cards indeed I am about one of only some 15000 Brits who managed to get one. The system is still there ready to go. It was completely voluntary and I did use it to cross internal EU borders worked a treat easy to use since most other EU STATES have them and most EU citizens don't bother with passports. They fit in your wallet and are much less hassle to than a passport.

All non EU MIGRANTS TO THE UK must get an ID card from one of about 6 or 7 ID production facilities across UK. You have to have your finger prints taken and an iris scan which are embedded on a chip on the card. This was introduced at the end of the Tony Blair governments.

Guess who took away the option for UK citizens yes you guessed T May within weeks of becoming Home Secretary it was binned. If the option had been kept open to Brits then it could have been mandated to all migrants from all countries. She actually has done nothing to reduce immigration nor make the country more secure from those that do come.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

It's no good if you don't actually need the ID card to function in the UK. The point I was getting at is that if the UK made ID cards/numbers the only form of ID acceptable for doing anything from opening a bank account to paying tax to claiming benefits, then people would be obliged to have one in order to function. If the government made being a resident a requirement of having an ID card then it would force people to take out residency in the UK. At the moment all you need to do is get over the border and you can function normally without even taking out UK residency. People from all over the EU have been doing it for years. And the government may say they are obligatory for non-EU immigrants but they're not really if nobody ever asks to see one.

I'm pretty sure that post-Brexit the UK will find that a lot of the problems with net immigration and benefits abuse haven't gone away, and the UK will close the stable door by introducing ID cards anyway.

Re: Remain a citizen of the EU
 

Perhaps all the problems are basically because the UK never had the (mis) fortune to be invaded by Napoleon who introduced massive bureaucracy and registration of citizens throughout his conquests.