The Employment and Social Affairs Committee voted on 26 February in favour of a series of contingency measures to safeguard the social security entitlements for EU and UK citizens in case of a no-deal Brexit. The objective of this regulation is to mitigate some of the negative effects of the UK’s withdrawal including not only both UK and EU citizens but also stateless persons, refugees, as well as family members and survivors of all the previous categories.

The protection of citizens’ rights related to the UK’s proposed departure from the EU is a clear priority for the European Parliament. The Rapporteurs consider that this proposal is of the utmost importance and urgency as there is a clear need to safeguard the acquired cross-border social security rights of those who are affected by the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

ALDE MEP Marian Harkin, co-rapporteur on this file said:

“Europeans who have exercised their right to free movement must not become collateral damage in any Brexit scenario. We have worked to ensure that citizens will maintain what they had already agreed in terms of social benefits up to the date of Brexit.”

The draft regulation is without prejudice to the existing social security conventions and agreements between the UK and one or more member states.