The 585-page proposal is the result of 18 months of negotiations Pexels

The 585-page proposal is the result of 18 months of negotiations Pexels

The 585-page proposal is the result of 18 months of negotiations and, if approved by the EU27, the UK and European Parliament, will set the tone of life after Brexit.

Regarding citizens’ rights, the paper outlines: “As part of the future relationship with the EU, the UK will also seek to secure onward movement opportunities for UK nationals in the EU who are covered by the citizens’ rights agreement.”

In an article published on Politico, journalist Charlie Cooper said that “onward movement” for British citizens is “bone of contention for Brits living across Europe.”

“As things stand, Brussels is not allowing Brits who remain in an EU country after Brexit to retain the right to move to another EU country,” Cooper explained. “The UK said it would fight their corner but appears to have given up on that battle--or at least postponed it until later.”

Among other key points in the road map, it sets out a single customs territory, something which local British citizens’ rights campaigner Fiona Godfrey saw as “a historic mistake” beside citizens’ rights. She posted on her Facebook page:

“I believe the EU has just made a historic mistake in punishing us for exercising our free movement rights and starting the process of separating off free movement of people from the free movement of goods”.

She added:

“I have been a lifelong supporter and defender of the EU but tonight I am feeling that I am done with the EU. This was the chance to show what a Europe of values meant to 5 million of us who had no say in the EU referendum and who are not responsible for Brexit. But they couldn't do that.

 
“I just feel very sorry for the UK in the UK because we always argued we were the canaries in the coal mine. We have been abandoned by all sides and if we - the children of the European project - have been treated this way the UK is about to get hit very, very hard.”