According to the Guardian newspaper, the plaintiffs will claim in a court in Amsterdam on Wednesday that those who had UK citizenship before March 29, 2019, should have their EU rights preserve, particularly, free movement and the right of residence.
The group, comprising five UK nationals, the Commercial Anglo Dutch Society (CADS) and a pro-EU group Brexpats – Hear Our Voice, noted that the EU treaties did not specify on the fate of citizens, whose country leaves the bloc, according to the newspaper. The claimants will reportedly seek referral to the European Court of Justice.
One of the claimants, London lawyer Jolyon Maugham, who funded the legal challenge, expressed hope that the case would bring the issue of UK and EU citizens rights after the "divorce" for a broader dialogue.
a group of UK nationals living in the #Netherlands are going to court to challenge the right of the #British government and the #European commission to negotiate away their rights as EU citizens in the #Brexit talks… #London #Amsterdam pic.twitter.com/oP92HpBANq
— Tamer Yazar (@tameryazar) January 16, 2018
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"The question whether UK citizens can assert EU citizenship rights in the EU after Brexit is a question of EU law. But the question whether non-UK EU citizens can assert EU citizenship rights in the UK after Brexit is a question of UK law… It may turn out that there is an awkward asymmetry: UK citizens enjoying generous EU rights but EU citizens suffering meagre UK rights," Maugham told the newspaper.
Brexit negotiations between London and Brussels officially started in June, and are due to be completed by March, 2019. During the talks, the sides are discussing a number of issues, including EU citizens' rights, the financial settlement, and the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland among others.
